Monahan and Al-Rumayyan, who is the governor of the Public Investment Fund supporting the PGA Tour's competing league, will compete together in the Dunhill Links Championship on the European Tour, which begins on Thursday.
Monahan will be paired with Billy Horschel, while Al-Rumayyan will team up with South African golfer Dean Burmester, one of 14 LIV Golf players participating in the tournament.
Rory McIlroy will be in the group directly behind them on Thursday at Carnoustie, playing alongside his father.
The two officials previously met in New York on September 11 and 12, as they explore a potential agreement for the PIF to become a minority investor in PGA Tour Enterprises, while also discussing a team concept to unify both sides.
The PGA Tour has imposed bans on players who joined LIV Golf, which was established in June 2022. In contrast, the European Tour has permitted players to return to select events, contingent upon fulfilling certain sanctions, including suspensions and fines.
Jon Rahm is participating in the Dunhill while contesting his fines. A decision on this matter—previously ruled in favor of the European Tour by an independent panel—is not anticipated until next year.
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| FILE - PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan poses with Scottie Scheffler with the FedExCup Trophy after Scheffler won the final round of the Tour Championship golf tournament Sept. 1, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen, File) |
Guy Kinnings, the CEO of the European Tour, attended the meetings in New York and will also be present at the Dunhill Links. Kinnings conveyed a sense of optimism regarding the direction of the discussions, although he acknowledged, “There is still a long way to go. Many details and complex issues remain to be addressed.”
There had been worries that negotiations had stagnated, with minimal progress since June. The LIV Golf League concluded on September 22, and the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs wrapped up at the end of August.
The tournament features a professional paired with an amateur for three rounds at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns. Al-Rumayyan participated in the Dunhill last year, while Monahan has occasionally taken part in the AT&T Pebble Beach under a similar format.