PATRICK CANTLAY WITHDRAWS FROM PGA TOUR EVENT AMID LIV/PIF PEACE TALKS

Patrick Cantlay has withdrawn from this week’s Valspar Championship on the PGA Tour, according to the official communications team.

Patrick Cantlay withdraws from PGA Tour event amid LIV/PIF peace talks
Patrick Cantlay has been listed as withdrawal from the forthcoming Valspar Championship.

No reason was given for Cantlay’s decision to pull out of the PGA Tour event but the timing is no coincidence.

The American golfer, who sits on the Tour’s policy board as a player director, is in the Bahamas meeting officials from the Saudi PIF.

It is hoped the talks could lead to a peace agreement between the establishment and the rival league to end the protracted schism in the men’s game.

News that high-profile figures among the PGA Tour were going to sit down for talks with LIV’s financiers emerged during the Players Championship.

The meeting was held in the Bahamas on 19 March and was attended in-person by Cantlay and the five other player directors.

That list of players directors also includes multiple major champion Tiger Woods.

Woods, 48, was previously seen as a sceptic over potential Saudi investment in PGA Tour Enterprises.

Over the weekend, he was encouraged by Rory McIlroy to attend the meeting. McIlroy claimed the peace talks should have taken place months ago.

Cantlay was reticent to go into details about the meeting before it happened.

Asked about the talks by SI, Cantlay said: “Well, I’ve gotta hear out what they have to say, and I will always do my best to represent the entire membership whenever I am in a meeting in that capacity. I think more information is always better.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan claimed before the Players Championship talks were ‘accelerating’ with PIF officials.

He confirmed he travelled to Saudi Arabia in January to talk with LIV chairman and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

Cantlay didn’t exude as much confidence as Monahan over the potential of white smoke emerging from Ponte Vedra Beach.

“I’m not sure that we’re at that point yet,” Cantlay said when asked how close they are to a deal. “So I don’t want to get ahead of myself.”

He added: “I imagine I’ll do a lot more listening than talking. I’m excited to hear what I will learn and I’ll have a lot more information after.

“I’ve got to hear out what they have to say and I will always do my best to represent the entire membership whenever I am in a meeting in that capacity.

“My role is always to represent the entire membership to the best of my ability.

“If there’s a deal that could be struck that’s in the best interest of the entire membership, I’m all for it. And, if there’s not, there’s not.