In a shocking development, the two-year war between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf came to an official end with the announcement that the leagues will merge.
On Tuesday, the PGA Tour announced that their ongoing battle with LIV Golf was officially over in a shared statement that outlined a planned merger between the top leagues in the world of professional golf. Furthermore, the litigation between the PGA, DP, and LIV’s financial backers, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, would also end.
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“The PGA TOUR, DP World Tour, and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) today announced a landmark agreement to unify the game of golf, on a global basis. The parties have signed an agreement that combines PIF’s golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players.”
In basic terms, the deal is a partnership that will be formed under a mutually beneficial umbrella that has yet to be named. LIV Golf, as of now, will still exist, but players who were previously banned from competing in the PGA and DP tours will now be allowed to “re-apply for membership.”
PGA Tour and LIV Golf to exist as part of new golf organization
In the agreement, team play — which is a big part of LIV — will get a greater emphasis within the sport, and the PIF will be an inclusive investor in the new organization that will oversee the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf. That is a major win for the sport as the Saudi PIF and their billions — which were the reason LIV was able to lure away elite golfers from the PGA — will be huge in helping to further the sport.
“Under the terms of the agreement, the Board of Directors of the new entity will oversee and direct all the new entity’s golf-related commercial operations, businesses, and investments. The new entity will work to ensure a cohesive schedule of events that will be exciting for fans, sponsors, and all stakeholders.”
– PGA Tour statement
It was a long and ugly road to get to what is a monumental moment in the sport of golf. LIV became a major rival to the PGA Tour by being able to offer huge signing bonuses and record-breaking tournament winnings for their events. However, the new league received a great deal of blowback due to the PIF being a part of the Saudi Arabian government. A government that has a long history of human rights violations.
In response to the competition, the PGA and DP banned LIV players from competing in their leagues, and the Official World Golf Rankings did not recognize LIV events. Which was set to have a major effect on top player eligibility in future majors. That will no longer be the case, and every golf star will get to mingle across the golf spectrum starting next season.