Scottie Scheffler believes there needs to be more clarity about the partnership between the PGA Tour and PIF; Watch the Scottish Open live on Thursday from 8am on Sky Sports Golf ; The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool then follows exclusively live from July 20-23 on Sky Sports Golf
Wednesday 12 July 2023 13:43, UK
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler admits he is concerned by the lack of detail about the proposed deal between golf's competing factions.
More than a month has passed since the shock announcement that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour agreed a partnership with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls the breakaway LIV Golf League, and are proposing a new joint commercial entity that is separate to the tours existing currently.
But information on what that will actually mean for the players remains thin on the ground, even after two PGA Tour officials gave evidence to a Senate subcommittee in Washington DC on Tuesday which lasted almost three hours.
"I just think that yesterday we didn't really learn a whole lot again," Scheffler said. "As a player on Tour, we still don't really have a lot of clarity as to what's going on and that's a bit worrisome.
"They keep saying it's a player-run organisation and we don't really have the information that we need. I watched part of yesterday and didn't learn anything so I really don't know what to say.
"It's just a framework agreement right now so I don't know what that entails. We are not involved in any of the discussions. None of the players were involved in the original framework agreement.
Scheffler does not feel he should have personally been involved in the process, but that the five players who sit on the PGA Tour's policy board - Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Webb Simpson and Peter Malnati - certainly should have been.
"We are the ones that voted to put them in that position to be there and we want their voices to be heard, and that was really the only frustration with the original announcement is that none of those four or five guys were involved at all," Scheffler added.
"But as far as how things are going now, there's open lines of communication. We have had numerous discussions with the Tour officials and players as weeks have gone on with stuff, and I feel like we're going in the right direction.
"I love playing golf on the PGA Tour and I'm hoping that's going to exist for a long time. I felt like we were doing a good job before and then the agreement happened and now we have to navigate the whole deal."
Despite all the noise surrounding the future of golf, Scheffler is fully focused this week on bringing his best game to the Genesis Scottish Open to ensure he is on song heading to The Open next week.
Scheffler finished 21st at The Open last year and is hoping for the next two weeks are a marked improvement as he looks for another major win at Royal Liverpool.
"I have always liked coming here, this is a fun tournament to play and I have enjoyed coming here and competing" Scheffler said.
"I like getting use to the time change, the temperature, all the different kinds of stuff.
"I am looking forward to the challenge of playing this place this week.
"I feel like my game is in a good spot. I have played solid golf for most of the year and I am hoping to continue that trend this week and next."
Watch the Genesis Scottish Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday with Featured Groups from 8am on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 12.30pm. The Open is then live from July 20-23 on Sky Sports Golf.
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