Will rival factions give peace a chance?
DPWT's Kinnings in Canada offers sign of deal progress; Scott hopes PC tide can turn
DPWT CEO Guy Kinnings with BMW PGA champ Billy Horschel (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Guy Kinnings is expected to be at Royal Montreal this week, and it’s not believed he is attending the Presidents Cup simply because he wants to watch the competition.
The DP World Tour CEO is believed to be in Canada because there very well may be further talks between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
The DP World Tour, mostly, has been an afterthought when talk of these meetings surfaces.
It was Kinnings who earlier this year told European media members that all of the parties involved in the “framework agreement” meant to unify the game had yet to all meet in person. That was April. And it was somewhat shocking
But Kinnings was part of meetings that took place two weeks ago in New York and he sounded a cautious yet optimistic tone when speaking to reporters at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
“I left those meetings seeing firsthand there in the room with all the right organizations, the right parties, with the right mindset, a sense of positivity from all parties involved to try and find a solution which would be good for the game,” Kinnings said. “Long way to go. A lot of detail, complicated stuff to be done.
“But that has to be a good thing for all of us. We all have to hope that that can succeed and, if that can succeed, then there are a lot of things ... that can get resolved.
“Obviously, we know the PGA Tour extremely well, we work with them on a daily basis, but now knowing and working closely with Strategic Sports Group and Fenway (Sports) and guys like that, and also with Public Investment Fund, what you're doing is talking to the parties who, if they do come together, then you’ve got the right people to make something happen that I think will be really exciting for the game.”
Kinnings confirmed a report last week that had LIV Golf attempting to reach a deal with the DP World Tour that would eliminate fines for LIV players in violation of tour conflicting events rules in exchange for scheduling assurances, their appearances in DP World Tour events and a monetary amount to help with purses.
The offer was declined and Kinnings said it was due to the parties involved, including the PGA Tour.
“There was an approach, absolutely, by LIV,” he said. “But, at the end of the day, we’re talking about a big discussion that requires all of the organizations. It will be so inappropriate to be off having a conversation, kind of a piece-meal thing while those discussions are going on, that involve just a couple of the parties.
“So we were very clear. We said, ‘Listen, we are always happy to listen to people and talk to everyone and whatever else, but it’s got to be part of the big picture that’s seeking to resolve the whole of the game.’”
Where that stands remains among the big questions in the game.
Rory McIlroy said last week that he believed the U.S. Department of Justice was one factor in the long process as well as “differing opinions of the players.”
McIlroy suggested that as many as 50 percent of the players on both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are not in favor of a deal that would, in theory, unify the league.
Michael Kim was one who stepped up to say he’s not in favor of a deal, suggesting that it wouldn’t change much for him.
The one-time PGA Tour winner, who was a college teammate of Max Homa’s at the University of California, said on X (formerly Twitter) that a deal will only help the top players.
“Whether the tour and LIV make a deal or not, it will not affect my bottom line,” Kim wrote. “It won’t change my schedule in the slightest bit and won’t change my earnings. This realistically only affects the top 30-ish golfers on the PGA Tour and that they’ll probably make more money after this deal.”
Kim, like others, remains upset by the 11 LIV players who sued the PGA Tour. On the other side, the PIF is going to be investing $1 billion-plus into PGA Tour Enterprises if there is a deal. It seems getting past that is going to be imperative.
“I just think there needs to be consequence to their decision to leave and SUE the tour,” he said. “You can call that petty but the LIV guys sued the PGA Tour mainly for their PIP (Player Impact Program) money. The same PGA Tour that was the reason why you even got the big payday in the first place. That’s just as petty in my eyes.
“FYI, just because there’s a deal doesn’t mean every LIV guy gets full status on the PGA Tour. There’s gonna be very limited crossover.”
It is just one example of why this deal is so complicated and why getting to a conclusion has remained elusive. But at least all of the parties are now together and seemingly talking.
Aussie Adam Scott believes Canadians like Corey Conners can stoke home crowds (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Scott hopes 11 is the charm at Prez Cup
Adam Scott is making his 11th straight appearance in the Presidents Cup. That run of consistency is overshadowed by the fact that he’s never played for a winning side.
The 2013 Masters champion played in his first Presidents Cup in 2003 when the International side forged a tie with the Americans in South Africa. He has since been on nine consecutive losing teams. And some of the losses have been by wide margins.
Now 44, Scott sees a new way forward.