“Have no problem with it,” Kevin Kisner opens up about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in PGA Tour

Kevin Kisner said that he have no problem with the involvement of Saudi Arabia in The PGA Tour.

“Have no problem with it,” Kevin Kisner opens up about Saudi Arabia’s involvement in PGA Tour

Kevin Kisner (image by Bunkered)

The American Professional and renowned golfer Kevin James Kisner recently debuted as a commentator for NBC Golf Channel at The Sentry in Hawaii. He is back doing commentary at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

While giving a phone interview to Golfweek, he was asked questions on different topics. One of them was his thoughts on Saudi’s involvement in the PGA Tour. “I have no problem with it,” Kisner replied. He further added that Saudi Arabia is tied to almost every corner of the globe.

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The Strategic Sports Group (SSG) has recently invested $3 billion in the PGA Tour. Kisner also said he has no past relation with PGA Tour CEO Jay Monahan, so he can’t comment on who should remain as the Commissioner but pointed out a crucial drawback of the Tour. He noted that “the No.1 mistake on the PGA Tour is communication.”

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Potential deal between PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s PIF

Saudi Arabia’s partnership with the PGA Tour has been a controversial topic, producing headlines and sparking interesting debates. In 2023, the PGA Tour announced a proposed partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Merging the PGA Tour’s commercial interests with PIF’s investments, potentially the deal will be exceeding $1 billion.

Jay Monahan (Image by Golf Digest)

The formal deal was set to be completed by Dec 31, but now both sides have agreed to push the dates back. And a conclusion will come at the end of 2024 maybe. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan also said that the PIF and DP World Tour discussions are healthy and productive.

The PGA Tour also announced a historical groundbreaking partnership with the Strategic Sports Group (SSG) at the start of 2024. The investment made by SSG goes up to $3 billion. SSG will inject an initial $1.5 billion into a newly formed “PGA Tour Enterprises” entity, with the option to contribute an additional $1.5 billion later.

It is being said that this deal will neutralize the tour against competition from new leagues like LIV Golf, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). noteworthy is that many professional golfers from PGA Tour have shifted to LIV Golf. Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka and others are the recent examples.

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