Major leaders hold closed-door meeting with PIF Saudi 'boss'
According to the Telegraph, Al-Rumayyan and businesswoman Amanda Staveley were secretly invited to the Royal Liverpool Stadium in Hoylake, England, where the R&A hosted The Open 2023. There, the supreme leader of PIF Saudi, Staveley and Slumbers sat together. when the tournament was conducting the final round of the 151st match, on July 23. Staveley himself participated as an investor in PIF Saudi's acquisition of the English Premier League club.
The R&A confirmed the tripartite meeting, but kept the details secret and insisted it was a mere courtesy. This is also the first time that Al-Rymayyan has been received at a prestigious tournament since the opening of the PIF Saudi LIV Golf League, in June 2022, and openly contradicts the PGA Tour as well as the DP World Tour.
However, the three sides have just ended the conflict with a joint business plan, announced on June 6, two days before LIV Golf League turns one year of operation.
However, the deal has only reached the framework and preliminary agreement milestone, and is under investigation from the Justice Department as well as the US Senate. Therefore, the governing organizations of the men's major - R&A (The Open), the American Golf Association (US Open), the Augusta National Course (Masters), the American Professional Golf Association (PGA Championship) are in the observer position, waiting for new developments.
Particularly, R&A is taking a soft view and does not exclude the possibility of accepting PIF Saudi as a partner, as shown by CEO Slumbers' statement before The Open 2023. "In the past year, the sports world has changed a lot. R&A has also changed. like golf cannot ignore that wave. We are willing to invite potential investors to the negotiating table, "said this manager.
This statement shows the opposite view of R&A compared to the previous year. At the time, Slumbers criticized that the LIV Golf League model was only motivated by money and not in the best interests of golf.
The immediate LIV Golf League is looking for tournaments in the system to be recognized for points on the world professional men's golf table (OWGR), so that member players can enter the major quartet when their right to go directly to the main round has not yet expired or expired. in the set of criteria for selecting the list of prestigious competitions. They have applied for admission since last year, so far no results. The approval of the LIV Golf League is decided by the OWGR governance board. This committee includes Chairman Peter Dawson, representatives from four prestigious awards, including CEO Slumbers of the R&A, PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the International Federation of Professional Golf Tournaments.
Quoc Huy
