Tiger Woods played host to a meeting between the PGA Tour’s Policy Board player directors and the head of the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

According to those present, the meeting served to be a ‘meet and greet and learn’ to better understand the PIF’s intentions for potential future investment in PGA Tour Enterprises.

Webb Simpson, who is playing at this week’s Valspar Championship at the Copperhead Course in Florida, said that Woods ‘was very engaged’ and ‘outside of our meeting he’s been super engaged along the way.

‘He’s a great leader and I really think he’s taken the position of our leader and we rely on him a lot.’

Simpson also says that meeting with Al-Rumayyan was, ‘the next right thing to do. I don’t know what exactly it’s going to look like in a year or two or three or five. It felt like it was the next right thing.’

Tiger Woods hosted a meeting of PGA Tour policy board members and the Saudi PIF governor

Woods gathered the players and other PGA Tour representatives with Yasir Al-Rumayyan

Not only did Woods host the other players and Al-Rumayyan, but the PIF governor and the multi-time major champion even hit the links at the Albany course where the Hero World Challenge is played.

In addition to Woods and Simpson, others present from the Tour included player directors Peter Malnati, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay. Additionally, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, board liaison Joe Ogilvie, and a few members of the Strategic Sports Group were present.

While there haven’t been any concrete details to come out of the meeting, it appears that neither side is closer to an agreement for either a merger or for funding.

‘What I was interested in going there was to learn more about who he is and what he’s thinking,’ Simpson said. ‘Learn about LIV more. What was your intention and hope there? How’s it going? All that kind of stuff.

‘A meet and greet and learn. I think he wanted to learn from us kind of what we think. We wanted to figure out what he thinks.’

Simpson added, ‘It definitely seems like he envisions a place in the game of golf. We didn’t get as far as what he wants and what does LIV want.

‘He certainly seems engaged enough in the game already that he has desires to see the game grow globally, I think it’s fair to say. And he mentioned growing it in Saudi to try and do that.’

Malnati didn’t go into specifics about the meeting from his perspective, but did admit that talking to Al-Rumayyan felt like they were ‘talking to a golf nut’ and that ‘a path forward for professional golf makes more sense with him on our side than him as an antagonist.’

Woods and Al-Rumayyan then reportedly played golf at the Albany course in The Bahamas

Webb Simpson, who was at the meeting, said it felt like ‘the next right thing to do’

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Al-Rumayyan announced an agreement to try and combine the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund last June

Malnati’s opinion is shared by some of the members of the Tour – including Simpson, who said that he hopes there are more chances for LIV Golf players and PGA Tour players to hit the links together outside of the majors.

‘Ultimately, I want us all to play together more than just the majors. It doesn’t have to be just the PGA Tour. That’s why we all love sports. Best teams in the Super Bowl. Best teams in NBA Finals.

‘I do think it’s a while until we get there. I didn’t walk away with a much clearer understanding of what the future holds. But I definitely walked away thinking I’m glad we did that.

‘Glad we met him. Glad we had a very friendly meeting. It was never tense. It was a long day but a good day.’

Monahan and Al-Rumayyan appeared together last June on CNBC – announcing that there had been an agreement to unite the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Saudi PIF.

The PGA Tour commissioner did say that negotiations have ‘accelerated’, but no details have emerged on where the two sides stand on certain issues.

As for Woods, the 48-year-old announced that he would be taking part in this year’s edition of The Masters after bowing out of the Genesis Invitational due to illness.