Tour pro says what we're all thinking about crucial PGA/LIV meeting in Scotland

Richie Ramsay has suggested key figures from the warring PGA Tour and LIV Golf should be 'locked in the jigger' this weekend until a resolution is found to make peace in the elite men's game. 

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is playing alongside his LIV Golf counterpart Yasir Al-Rumayyan at this week's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. 

Al-Rumayyan, along with being the chairman of Newcastle United, is the governor of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV.

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European Tour Group chief executive Guy Kinnings is also present this weekend where, it is understood, more talks will be held. 

They were all invited to play the Dunhill by South African billionaire Johann Rupert, who runs the Dunhill. 

Rory McIlroy hailed the influence of Rupert in his pre-tournament news conference on Tuesday. 

For Monahan and Al-Rumayyan, this week represents the first time they have been seen together in public since they both appeared on national television on 6 June 2023. 

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan announced an end to the expensive litigation and their intentions for the PGA Tour, LIV and DP World Tour to combine commercial interests. 

Since that date no deal has transpired, with rumours an agreement was off the table after the PGA Tour were bolstered by a $3bn investment from the Strategic Sports Group. 

The move was widely viewed as an attempt by the North American circuit to 'go it alone' given funds were readily available to prevent more defections. 

Monahan has remained tight-lipped about how talks have been progressing in recent months. 

He has made it clear he refuses to negotiate in public having bungled the rollout of last June's peace deal. 

It seems reasonable to suggest than many just want to move past all of the off-course bickering. 

TV ratings have been steadily declining which has led to the assumption fans have been put off by the constant talk of money. 

One of those appears to include the aforementioned Ramsay, who reacted to the report Monahan and Al-Rumayyan will be playing together in Scotland by saying on X: "Lock them in the Jigger and tell them to sort it out before they are allowed out." 

See here:

What did Rory McIlroy say?

McIlroy is playing the Dunhill with his father Gerry this week. 

The Northern Irishman appeared optimistic about the prospect of key players from the PGA Tour and LIV being in close quarters. 

He put forward the idea that there is no better place to resolve issues than the home of golf. 

A deal of this magnitude, McIlroy conceded, may take another three months to sort out. 

"I think it's a great thing and good sign that Jay and Yasir are going to play together," he told BBC Sport Northern Ireland. 

"And obviously you've got quite a big contingent over from LIV that are playing in this event."

Of the negotiations, McIlroy said: "Maybe it's going too slow for the people that follow golf. In the business world, deals of this size take time.

"You are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions.

"I think we'll know a lot more by year's end. We're in October so hopefully [there's] three months to get something done."

Read more about that here. 

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