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Tiger Woods mentioned Friday he would “hypothetically” be shocked if rumors that a number of big-name gamers are on the verge of signing with LIV Golf show to be true.
Jon Rahm, the reigning Masters champion and world’s No. 3-ranked participant, is reportedly weighing a suggestion upwards of $300 million to signal with the Saudi-backed league. United States Ryder Cup stalwarts Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are two extra gamers who’ve been tied to LIV rumors.
With out being requested about particular gamers, Woods was requested if the rumors shock him.
“Hypothetically wouldn’t it shock me? Sure, however there’s so many various issues which have occurred within the final, as you mentioned, 48 hours but additionally in the previous couple of weeks,” Woods mentioned after his second spherical on the Hero World Problem within the Bahamas. “Issues have modified and can proceed to alter.”
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan mentioned earlier this week {that a} Dec. 31 deadline to finalize an settlement together with the Public Funding Fund and the DP World Tour stays “a agency goal.”
“Our deadline’s developing right here quickly, so there’s quite a lot of transferring components,” Woods mentioned. “Quite a lot of various things are occurring in a short time as a result of we all know, you understand, I believe immediately’s the primary day in December. We do not have a complete lot of time.”
Woods, who had no information of the framework settlement on the time of the announcement in June, has since joined the PGA Tour’s Coverage Board as a participant director. In the meantime, Rory McIlroy left the board and was just lately changed by Jordan Spieth.
Spieth, who’s tied for the lead at Albany Golf Membership, acknowledged that dropping Rahm to LIV can be a giant blow to the PGA Tour.
“I am unsure particularly how it will impression these negotiations, however all in all, Jon Rahm is likely one of the greatest property that we now have on the PGA Tour,” he mentioned. “So it will be a very — actually not excellent for us normally as a result of we wish to play in opposition to the most effective gamers on the earth and that is what Jon is.
“I do know there’s been some guys which have talked to him. I do know he is perhaps weighing some choices, perhaps not. I actually do not know, so I do not wish to insult him and say he is weighing choices if he already is aware of he isn’t or he’s. You realize, that is considerably out of my management in a approach.
“Clearly, I may converse most likely on behalf of 200-plus PGA Tour gamers in saying that we actually hope that he is persevering with with us.”
Scottie Scheffler mentioned this week that he is “extraordinarily grateful” for Woods’ involvement, and the world’s No. 1-ranked participant is within the Bahamas competing in his first stroke play occasion for the reason that Tour Championship. Noticeably absent, nevertheless, are Rahm, Cantlay and Schauffele. Rahm didn’t decide to this yr’s occasion, whereas Cantlay and Schauffele withdrew final month, additional fueling hypothesis they could be part of LIV.
Rahm additionally just lately pulled out of the Woods- and McIlroy-backed TGL, citing the time dedication, though the league has since delayed its debut till 2025 after the roof of its facility collapsed and triggered harm. Cantlay and Schauffele are among the many marquee gamers who had dedicated to the league.
Whereas acknowledging the rumors swirling, Woods sidestepped a second query about whether or not he’d be shocked by extra marquee defections to LIV.
“Nothing has actually shocked me apart from the truth that there’s so many various issues which have occurred so quick,” he mentioned. “That is one of many issues that each one of our — all of us as player-directors we have been engaged on, simply that every thing is now at a time crunch.
“It is 24 hours a day simply attempting to determine it out.”
Data from Subject Stage Media was used on this report.
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