Gary Player believes that golf stands divided, and only Donald Trump and Yasir Al-Rumayyan can fix it.

Gary feels that professional golf has lost something special in the midst of the current conflict between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. Player raises the question of whether a victory holds the same value as it did in his era.

The best golfers in the world were competing in the same tournament. He noted, "When Palmer, Nicklaus and I won a tournament, we won a tournament. Now they win half a tournament."

And in Player’s opinion, there are only two people who have enough influence and contacts to resolve this situation: President Donald Trump and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and chairman of LIV Golf.

His exact words? “There are only two people in the world that can get us together, Donald Trump and Yasir.”

X/ LIV Golf Nation

How they matter!

Gary Player's explains how his opinion is more practical and less political. He believes that they already know each other and have a working relationship. 

He explains that while Al-Rumayyan oversees LIV Golf, Trump continues to back LIV Golf as a business partner and event host.

Mr. Trump-owned courses have staged LIV tournaments each year since the league began in 2022, and Trump National Golf Club, Washington D.C., is set to host a LIV event in May 2026. 

According to reporting by The Palm Beach Post, Mr. Trump has publicly criticized the PGA Tour over its handling of LIV Golf and has encouraged players to leave the tour for LIV, saying it is “disloyal” and advising them to “take the money now.” 

During LIV’s first event at Doral in 2022, Mr. Trump said, “The tour mishandled (LIV’s formation) so badly, and the people at the top, something should happen with them; they mishandled it so badly.”

And it seems like Trump agrees, as he also presents himself as someone who can help reduce the divide. 

President Donald Trump can resolve the LIV Golf and PGA Tour conflict

Before Mr. Trump's re-election, Donald Trump said he could bring men’s professional golf back together within 15 minutes. 

After his first month in office and multiple meetings with officials from the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, his position changed.

In February 2025, while speaking to reporters, Mr. Trump was asked whether the negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf or efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict would be more difficult. Trump responded, 

“I think the PGA deal is much more complicated.”

What do you think? Do you agree with Gary Player?

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Joyita Das