A few weeks ago, it seemed possible that LIV golfers like Sergio Garcia, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka might have a chance to play in the Players Championship, if not this year, maybe in 2026.And the hopes were given by none other than the legend of golf, Tiger Woods. After Ludvig Aberg won the Genesis Invitational last month, Big Cat was asked if the LIV Golf deal could be expected this year. And Woods' answer was a clear "yes."LIV Golf's new CEO, Scott O'Neil, had also sounded optimistic about the talks. "PIF is a sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and they are likely to make an investment into PGA Tour Enterprises," O'Neil said.But now, it looks like those hopes were misplaced. Last week, Rory McIlroy surprisingly said, "It doesn't feel any closer." But what went wrong?According to reports, the reason lies in a failed meeting at the White House. Last month, Tiger Woods, Jay Monahan and his team went to Washington, D.C., for a progress meeting with President Trump and the governor of Saudi Arabia's public investment, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, with a high level of confidence.But things did not go as planned. According to Golf Digest, Al-Rumayyan was not only bewildered but shocked by the PGA Tour's demands. He characterized the demand by Monahan & Co. "as not merely inadequate but disrespectful."This raises questions about what Jay Monahan and the PGA Tour were hoping to achieve with the Saudi-funded club. Was it a genuine attempt at unification, or was there another agenda that ultimately created a roadblock for the PIF deal, despite President Trump's involvement?Monahan previously stated his belief that Donald Trump's involvement was meant to bring "fruitful solutions" and fulfill fans' wishes. However, recent reports suggest something more.According to Golf Digest, Trump's biggest desire is to host one of the majors at one of his golf properties. This goal relies heavily on garnering support from America's golf establishment, which is where the PGA Tour comes in.But one must wonder, did the PGA Tour feel as though they had all of the leverage? Did they apply pressure to simply fold LIV Golf under its umbrella? Every indicator coming from the Saudi-backed league would leave one to believe they have no intention of simply going away.More Golf: NBC Sports Crushed by Fans for Missing Russell Henley's Eagle at Arnold Palmer