A major player in the PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger negotiations believes the solution reached is "the best long-term for the game."
In a stunning development that few players on the two rival factions saw coming, it was confirmed on Tuesday that the two organisations would integrate moving forward, following 12 months of legal wrangling. The exact future structure of the professional game remains unclear, and the development has also prompted a backlash against PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan.
The talks had been conducted largely in secret, with even the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods - two of the main detractors of the Saudi-backed tour - kept in the dark. Meanwhile LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman was also excluded from the process, prompting questions over his future.
And now one of the key figures in the deals, PGA Tour board member Jimmy Dunne, has broken his silence. Dunne, a vice chairman and senior managing principal of financial services company Piper Sandler, claims negotiations began via a WhatsApp message he sent in April to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF).
"I thought it made sense to understand who he was and what he was trying to do, and what his view was for the game of golf," Dunne told USA TODAY Sports. "And I went to meet him."
Amid much scepticism about the deal, the 66-year-old denied he was motivated by personal gain or any vendettas: "I went on the board hoping that I could be part of a solution," he added. "Everyone will have their own point of view. I’m confident that what we came up with is the best long-term for the game. It's true. That’s it. I’m not trying to get more shares of this company - I'm not trying to make anybody look bad or good."
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The merger immediately drew stinging criticism from families of victims of the 9/11 attacks, who have previously protested against LIV events over Saudi links to the atrocity. But Dunne argued golf was "a force for good," and implied the deal could help improve world relations.
"We can reach out to people that are different than us (and) share experiences," he said. "Ee might be reducing the chances of some other thing happening, that’s equally horrific, down the road."
The PGA Tour and LIV will join with the European based DP World Tour. The new faction will be overseen by PGA Tour commissioner Monahan, but will be largely funded by the PIF, the financial arm of the Saudi government.
