PGA urges player directors to meet with LIV Tour backers

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott said the player directors on the PGA Tour board are being encouraged to meet with the Saudi Arabia wealth fund leader behind LIV Golf, a sign that could spark talks of an investment.

Golfweek reported Friday evening a meeting could happen as soon as Monday, the day after

The Players Championship. It cited two sources who said it was unclear if Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund, had committed to the meeting.

“I’m not sure that I can say much more other than we’re being encouraged to potentially meet with them,” Spieth said, adding that it was “probably a good thing that the entire board should if there’s going to be any potential for a negotiation.”

Scott said he would be as curious as he was to meet the U.S. private equity groups — from which Strategic Sports Group emerged as a minority investor with an initial $1.5 billion into PGA Tour Enterprises — “just to put a face to a name.”

“Ultimately the players are some of the vote going into whether a deal will happen or not, just like it was with SSG,” Scott said. “With the seriousness of what we’re voting on, I think it is important that we’ve all met no matter what anyone’s feelings are.”

Scott and Spieth are player directors along with Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson and Peter Malnati.

The PGA Tour originally announced a framework agreement with PIF on June 6, a decision that stunned players because only Commissioner Jay Monahan and board members Ed Herlihy and Jimmy Dunne were involved in the turnaround deal.

The agreement was to be finalized by Dec. 31, but then Congress got involved and U.S. investors expressed interest. The SSG deal announced Jan. 31 could be upward of $3 billion.

Catlin’s 59 breaks Asian Tour mark

John Catlin holed a 20-foot eagle putt on Saturday for an 11-under 59 in the International Series Macau, becoming the first player in Asian Tour history with a sub-60 round.

Catlin, a 33-year-old

Californian with seven worldwide victories, became the fourth player this year to break 60 following Joaquin Niemann at LIV Golf Mayakoba, and Cristobal Del Solar and Aldrich Potgieter on consecutive days in the Astara Golf Championship in Colombia on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Del Solar shot 57, matching the lowest score on tours recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking.

Catlin played bogeyfree at Macau Golf and Country Club, where soft conditions allowed players to lift, clean and place their golf balls in the fairway. He finished birdie-eagle to take a two-shot lead over Jason Kokrak going into the final round.

Catlin said all his passwords end with 59, though he never imagined himself posting what long has been considered golf ’s magic number.

“It’s pretty crazy. It hasn’t totally sunk in yet,” he said.

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images Jordan Spieth, a PGA Tour player director, is among the group being asked to meet with LIV officials.