“It can’t be this complicated” – PGA Tour-bound Harry Higgs criticizes the PIF deal, takes a jibe at ‘influx of capital’

The PGA Tour is currently in talks with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) over a potential deal. Despite the first formal announcement being made on June 6, 2023, further updates on the deal’s final form are yet to be revealed. Now, PGA Tour-bound Korn Ferry Tour star Harry Higgs has come out to criticize the negotiations.

Commenting on the current state of the PGA-PIF deal, Higgs said it was “certainly complicated” and added that it “cannot be this complicated.” The 32-year-old golfer noted that almost all players like him are still kept in the dark about the negotiations. He took a sly jibe at the PGA Tour by stating that the body has formed ‘subcommittees’ while keeping the remaining players away from the formal talks.

The World No. 161 golfer, who has 120 starts on the PGA Tour, noted that the holdup in the deal might be caused by the lawsuit filed against the Tour by LIV players.

Harry Higgs said on the latest episode of No Laying Up podcast (at 1:04:08):

"It (current state of PGA-PIF deal) is certainly complicated. It cannot be this complicated. Disclaimer, this is all my opinion because I am out of those rooms now and I do not have access to anything and I don't think anybody on our Player Advisory Council or even I mean some of the guys on the board would know, but they've set up subcommittees.

"There are some guys (LIV Golfers) that are probably going to want to play the PGA Tour… Then the real hold up is probably the lawsuit like, ‘how do we punish those that were named in the lawsuit against the Tour if we want them to come back and play.’"

It is pertinent to note that Harry Higgs has now joined a long line of PGA Tour players who’ve raised concerns regarding the PIF deal. Notably, PGA chief Jay Monahan has received some flak over the last year for the delay in the proposed deal. Fans had earlier demanded the ousting of the CEO for lack of improvement in talks since the introduction of the framework agreement in 2023.

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Harry Higgs takes a jibe at PIF’s ‘influx of capital’

Harry Higgs went on to detail the problem with the PIF’s proposed ‘influx of capital.’ The Korn Ferry Tour star opined “there's probably 20 guys in the game that actually grow the sport.” He added that these players ‘won't like’ being under a contract which limits their ‘freedom’ to play where they prefer.

Harry Higgs added in the same podcast:

"My thought is if we get this influx of capital from the PIF, then all these guys that are moving and shaking and trying to change everything, let's just get them all under contract. Let's just give 20 guys with 10 million a year contract and then we can tell them where they need to play, which they won't like. So, they probably won't agree to any of this but let's just put them all under contract and then to some degree tell them where they need to play and then we can grow in the areas that we need to grow and leave everything else.

"There are probably 20 guys in the game of golf that actually grow the sport… I don't think anybody's going to be playing under contract because as golfers we like some freedom."

Higgs went on to state that LIV Golf will ‘probably continue to exist’ in the future. He also commented on the Saudi-backed series’ unofficial tagline and said that “growing the game is not the right thing to say” in the current scenario. He said the “game is probably fine” but it is the brands involved that need to grow.