Patrick Cantlay Confirms Monday Meeting With Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Patrick Cantlay confirmed a meeting Monday with representatives of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.
While not confirming who will be in the meeting from either the PGA Tour, PIF or the Strategic Sports Group, a recent investor into the new for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises, the PGA Tour Policy Board member characterized the meeting as more of a meet-and-greet than a substantive discussion on the issues with the Saudis.
Patrick Cantlay classified Monday's meeting as a "meet and greet."
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“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,” Cantlay said after his final round at the Players Championship. “I think more information is always better.”
When asked about the process, Cantlay was unwilling to commit to the details.
Adam Scott, another member of the policy board, indicated Friday that the process of doing a deal with SSG would be a similar process with the PIF.
“I'm not even sure that we're to that point yet,” Cantlay said of the PIF discussions. “So, I don't want to get out ahead of myself. And say something that may go different.”
Cantlay indicated he measures success with the PIF discussions by getting a right deal for the PGA Tour membership, but did not expand on what that deal would be.
What was clear is that Cantlay approaches the discussions like a sponge, and that listening and little talking is his intention in Monday’s meeting.
“If it weren't to happen, we would go on in a similar paradigm to how we're going on right now,” Cantlay said when asked about if a deal could not be consummated. “I think there's pros and cons.”
