Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll is remarkably linked to the recent merger between the PGA Tout and LIV golf, which has shaken up the sport like never before.
It was announced last week that the PGA Tour and LIV golf would be merging into one, following seven weeks’ worth of talks between the two organisations.
According to the New York Times, discussions started on April 18, before a vital meeting took place in Italy.
Reportedly, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir al-Rumayyan met in Venice, after the latter attended the wedding of Stroll’s daughter, Chloe.
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The duo met at a golf course in Venice, where a general agreement was supposedly made.
Further meetings are believed to have been held in New York and San Francisco, prior to the official announcement of the merger.
Members of both parties are believed to be furious at the merger, with most having found out through the official press release.
The deal itself was signed on May 30 at Four Seasons Hotel, whilst the official announcement was made several days after.
Golfers on the PGA Tour are reportedly furious over the merger, given that some rejected huge offers to join the Saudi-backed LIV golf.
Xander Schauffele is one of the players to have made their feelings known over the “betrayal”, as he rejected an offer from LIV golf.
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“What does loyalty mean these days? I don’t quite know,” Schauffele told The Times.
“From a long-term perspective, more money being dumped into the game again is a good thing. The product was always going to be better with the [LIV] golfers we know, the major winners, all included, but trying to put my own emotions and sentiments on the matter aside is going to be hard.
“Yeah, I guess [betrayal] would be the charged word. Irony comes to mind as well. From the messages I’ve had, everybody is taking it a bit personally, which is fair, to an extent. I was definitely left in the dark, like most guys, which is frustrating from the transparency side. I thought we were making some headway in that department, but obviously not, because there wasn’t a whole lot of trust in the first place.”