Adam Scott has revealed that members of the PGA Tour’s player advisory council knew Tiger Woods was visiting the White House last week and hopes Donald Trump‘s love for golf will bring the sport’s bitter civil war to an end.
A picture of Woods at the White House emerged on social media last week and it has since emerged he went to see Trump to discuss the president’s upcoming trip to Saudi Arabia.
According to Golfweek, Woods wanted to make sure Trump would stay ‘on message’ in talks with Saudi officials amid golf’s ongoing civil war between the PGA and Saudi-backed LIV circuit.
Scott is a director of the player advisory council, along with Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Peter Malnati, Webb Simpson and Camilo Villegas. It was set up to consult with the tour’s policy board and commissioner Jay Monahan on issues affecting players.
When asked if the group was aware of the White House visit, Scott told Daily Mail after his first round at the PGA Championship on Thursday: ‘Jay and Tiger let us all know that they were going to do that.
‘It’s good that the leader of the free world kind of loves golf. So hopefully, it’s going to come out with a more positive result because of that.’
Adam Scott says the PGA’s player advisory council knew about Tiger Woods’ White House visit
Woods posed for a picture with Senator Jim Banks during his trip to Washington last week
Woods wanted to make sure Trump – with Mohammed bin Salman – would stay ‘on message’
The PGA wants to merge with LIV but only on their terms – likely one that will not see LIV have a future in the years to come – but while a framework deal was agreed in June 2023 for unification, things haven’t progressed much past that.
Trump said he could end the standoff between the two tours in ’15 minutes’ when he was on the campaign trail last year but while the two tours have held talks, a deal is still yet to be struck.
LIV has repeatedly hosted events in the United States on Trump’s courses, while the president is also known to be very close with a number of players on both tours – including Woods, who he gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to in 2019.
ESPN said in April that the PGA Tour rejected a $1.5billion offer by LIV to invest on the basis that LIV remains intact.
It remains to be seen what Trump comes back with from his trip. At present, he is in Qatar and will also go to the United Arab Emirates before returning.
Players from both tours are gathered here in North Carolina this week for the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, the second major of the year.
Scott, appearing in his 95th consecutive major, posted a solid two-under par 69 on day one despite bogeying two of the final three holes.
