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R&A CEO Martin Slippers weighed in on the PGA Tour-PIF tire conversation on Wednesday. Commenting on the deal that would see the US circuit merge under an umbrella with LIV Golf and DP World Tour, the official said it was “not a party” to it and that it was “not his deal”.
Slippers’ comment comes amid mounting talk of the deal. Speaking a day before the Open Championship, the fourth and final major tournament of the 2023 season on the PGA Tour, the R&A chief said he was “very pleased” that the parties involved were “sitting there and thinking about it.” He seemed optimistic about the deal, despite avoiding an outspoken opinion on it.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday about the PGA Tour-PIF tire, Martin Slumbers said, as quoted by Golf Channel:
“It’s not my deal. I’m not a party. I’m not at the table. But I’m so glad they’re sitting there and thinking about it, because in the long run that’s good for a sport that we all want to either work at or enjoy.”
Martin Slippers is excited about the LIV-PGA Tour-DP World Tour merger
Of note, Slumbers had previously revealed that it was “thrilled” at the merger of LIV Golf, the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. Earlier in June, the R&A, which governs golf in most parts of the world outside of the United States and Mexico, issued a statement welcoming the collaborative move. Slumbers, who has been president of R&A since 2015, noted that his organization is “looking forward to working with the new entity” formed through the merger.
The full statement read from R&A, as quoted by Golfweek:
“We are delighted that an agreement has been reached that will help men’s professional golf move forward in a collaborative, constructive and innovative way. We care deeply about the future of golf and are committed to ensuring that the sport continues to thrive for many years to come.
“This agreement represents a major step towards achieving this goal for golf and we look forward to working with the new entity for the benefit of the sport globally.”
While the R&A appeared happy with the PGA Tour-PIF, it did not disclose whether it was aware of the merger prior to Tuesday’s statement. It is noteworthy that the announcement came as a surprise to many players as well as officials around the world.
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