Jordan Spieth contradicts Rory McIlroy’s claim PGA Tour-Saudi talks are crumbling: ‘Things are actually moving positively from both sides’

Jordan Spieth has a seat in the room where the decisions on the PGA Tour-Saudi PIF merger are made, and he’s chosen to contradict the claims of the man that was shut out of that room weeks ago.

In the aftermath of Jimmy Dunne departing the PGA Tour policy board during last week’s PGA Championship, Rory McIlroy stated that his confidence was at an all time ‘low’ for a deal between the two sides to be done.

But Spieth – who sits on that tour policy board with Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Adam Scott, Peter Malnati, and Webb Simpson – had an alternate take when speaking to reporters at this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge.

‘I think the narrative that things are in a bad place and are moving slowly and, you know, some of the things that are asked to me or said are untrue,’ Spieth said on Wednesday. 

‘I think that I — I know that it’s false, actually. Things are actually moving positively from both sides. 

Jordan Spieth (L) refuted Rory McIlroy’s (R) claim that the PGA-PIF deal was in jeopardy

McIlroy said he had ‘low’ confidence in a deal after Jimmy Dunne (above) left the policy board

‘I think ultimately we’ll end up in a place where professional golf is maybe the best that it’s ever been. I think both sides believe that. 

‘I think although there’s always frustrations I think in deal making — and I’m not a part of the deal making. 

‘From what I do know, it’s cordial, there’s open dialog, and it’s moving along at the pace that it’s moving along. And anything else that’s said about it is just, I just know to be false. 

‘So I’m very optimistic I think is what I would say out of all of it. I think that’s starting to resonate amongst players as they’re able to get more and more information on the matter and it will continue to get more and more information over the coming months.’

Dunne was one of the prime architects that got the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund to the table to agree to sort out a deal last June.

But in his resignation letter from the board, Dunne claimed his position was ‘utterly superfluous’ after he was reportedly frozen out of talks. 

According to the New York Times, the possibility of a deal is still ‘very much alive’.