In an unexpected move, LIV Golf Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan made an unannounced appearance on Tuesday at the Fields Ranch East course located at the Omni PGA Frisco Resort. This is the same property in Frisco, Texas that serves as the new headquarters for the PGA of America.
Al-Rumayyan, who also heads the Saudi Public Investment Fund that bankrolls LIV Golf, was in town for this week's LIV Golf Team Championship at nearby Maridoe Golf Club. However, his reasons for stopping by the PGA of America facility are unclear.
When contacted, a PGA of America executive said he was unaware of Al-Rumayyan's visit or any scheduled meetings. He noted they did not make any arrangements for the LIV Chairman's course tour. The director of golf at Omni PGA Frisco was also absent while attending a sectional event in Dallas.
Both the PGA of America and Omni representatives stated they have not held any discussions with LIV Golf about a possible partnership or business dealings.
Representatives from both the PGA of America and Omni PGA Frisco stated there have been no discussions between their organizations and LIV Golf regarding any type of partnership. An Omni official noted Al-Rumayyan's visit was purely "social in nature", adding "there was absolutely nothing arranged on the business front."
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LIV Golf representatives did not immediately provide a comment to GOLF.com's inquiry about the Chairman's stop at the resort.
According to sources, Al-Rumayyan came to the pro shop in the afternoon and asked to tour the Fields Ranch East course designed by acclaimed architect Gil Hanse. He proceeded to play a few holes accompanied by an Omni staffer, while one of his aides followed closely behind in another golf cart.
The East course recently hosted its first major championship in 2023 when Steve Stricker won the Senior PGA Championship. Under contract, it will welcome several prestigious PGA of America events over the next two decades, including multiple men's and women's major tournaments. This begs the question - was Al-Rumayyan conducting a more informal assessment of a course that may play a big role in golf's future?
Al-Rumayyan is a passionate golfer himself, holding a solid 12 handicap according to reports. Documents from a US Senate subcommittee also revealed his aspirations to gain memberships at the highly exclusive Augusta National and R&A clubs.
The LIV Golf Chairman has experience competing in pro-ams, last playing in the DP World Tour's prestigious Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. He's also taken a leading position in dialog between LIV and the PGA Tour regarding bringing the two sides of professional golf closer together.
After the Players Championship in March, Al-Rumayyan met with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and player directors in the Bahamas. In a subsequent memo, Monahan said the LIV leader used the session to outline his “vision, priorities and motivations for investing in the sport.”
This background provides important context regarding Al-Rumayyan's personal enthusiasm for the game. His surprise visit to PGA of America headquarters could now be seen as an informal opportunity for an influential golf figure to view top facilities, rather than solely a reconnaissance mission.
