Liverpool owner John Henry holds more talks with Saudi Arabia PIF amid $3 billion FSG deal

Liverpool principal owner John Henry has reportedly flown into the Caribbean to hold crunch talks after Fenway Sports Group's latest investment.

FSG expanded their portfolio when spearheading an investment in the PGA Tour in January. Along with several other powerful sports team owners - including NFL outfit the Atlanta Falcons' Arthur Blank and NBA team the Boston Celtics' Wyc Grousbeck - the Strategic Sports Group has invested an initial $1.5 billion that could reach $3 billion in golf's premier tour.

Golf has been fractured since several high-profile players - including major winners Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and recently John Rahm - left the PGA. They opted to join LIV, which is funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, who also own Newcastle United.

It came as a surprise last June that the PGA, LIV and the DP World Tour had agreed to a merger deal. But a deadline of 31 December was missed and a deal has still to be brokered almost three months into this year.

As a result, talks have been ongoing in the Bahamas ahead of the Hero World Challenge, which is hosted by Tiger Woods. After The Players Championship last weekend, PGA player-director Patrick Cantlay confirmed that talks with PIF representatives were set to happen.

“Well, I’ve got to hear out what they have to say, and I will always do my best to represent the entire membership whenever I am in a meeting in that capacity,” said Cantlay. “I think more information is always better.”

Cantlay did not confirm who would be part of those talks. However, Henry was named on the board of directors for PGA Tour Enterprises, the new commercial venture that SSG are involved in, earlier this month. And Golf Monthly reports that Henry jetted off to the Bahamas for the talks. It was reported in February that Henry led a contingent to Saudi Arabia for discussions.

Speaking ahead of The Players Championship, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: "I recently met with PIF chairman, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and our negotiations are accelerating as we spend time together. We have a shared vision, to quiet the noise and progress golf forward. It’s going to take time but I reiterate what I said at the Tour Championship in August. I see a positive outcome for the PGA Tour and the sport as a whole. Most importantly I see a positive outcome for our great fans.”