ATLANTA: PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan expressed the same level of confidence Tuesday that he did last year at the season-ending Tour Championship. The difference was the topic.

A year ago, Monahan unveiled a bold new model for the PGA Tour aimed at fending off the Saudi-backed LIV Golf League.

Now it鈥檚 about getting a deal done with the Saudis.

鈥淎s I sit here today, I am confident that we will reach an agreement that achieves a positive outcome for the PGA Tour and our fans 鈥� I see it and I鈥檓 certain of it,鈥� Monahan said at East Lake Golf Club, where 30 players compete for the FedEx Cup and its $18 million bonus.

鈥淎nd I see it because when you look at the performance of our players, you look at the commitment of our players ... I feel like we鈥檙e in the strongest position to be able to succeed and successfully conclude these negotiations in a way that protects the legacy of the PGA Tour on a long-term basis.鈥�

He had far more details a year ago when he announced a schedule in which the top players would compete against each other as many as 17 times for $20 million purses. That鈥檚 the bones of the schedule going into next year.

The PGA Tour announced a framework agreement with 黑料社区鈥檚 national wealth fund and the European tour on June 6 to create a for-profit company called 鈥淧GA Tour Enterprises鈥� in which the Public Investment Fund would be a minority investor.

Its governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, would be CEO of the company and have a seat on the PGA Tour board, though Monahan said the PGA Tour had safeguards to call the shots.

They have until Dec. 31 to finalize the agreement, though the sides can agree to extend the deadline. As for what this means for the future of LIV Golf or what penalties LIV players would face if they chose to come back to the tours, that remains part of the negotiations.

Monahan said negotiations are private and he could not reveal details, even to the players.

He said meetings with PIF and European tour CEO Keith Pelley have been frequent. He described an 鈥渋ntensity鈥� and an 鈥渦rgency鈥� about the talks and a lot of work that remains.

鈥淲e鈥檙e probably right where I would expect that we would be,鈥� Monahan said.

The uncertainty came from where the PGA Tour would start 2024, when it goes back to a calendar year that will end on Labor Day.

The Sentry Tournament of Champions has been held since 1999 at Kapalua, located about 10 miles (16 km) to the north of the wildfires that devastated Lahaina on Maui. At least 115 deaths have been confirmed in Lahaina, where fabled Front Street was leveled.

Kapalua was removed from the wildfires, though several staff had homes in Lahaina.

鈥淲e hope to be a source of inspiration for the great people of Maui and Lahaina by the time that we get to Maui in January,鈥� Monahan said.

But while he said the tour 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� was committed to be there in January, 鈥淚 think at this point there鈥檚 so many unknowns, and we want to be respectful of the challenges.鈥�

鈥淚f we鈥檙e allowed to, if we鈥檙e invited, if we鈥檙e embraced given all that needs to be accomplished, we will be there 100 percent,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I think at this point right now that鈥檚 outside of our hands.鈥�

He said the tour has not contemplated another course if it makes no sense to go to Maui. The Sony Open is the following week on Oahu.