A pair of golf insiders feel confident that 2024 will bring an end to the exodus of top stars leaving the PGA Tour for massive paydays in LIV Golf.
In 2022, the PGA’s grip on professional golf was loosened in a major way with the introduction of LIV Golf. The league funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund was able to draw a huge amount of attention to the upstart golf circuit by luring away big-name players with huge signing bonuses and unheard-of tournament winnings.
Related: PGA Tour merger with LIV Golf reportedly dead or dying
Combating the massive wealth behind LIV has been a major problem for the PGA and is a constant source of fear that they will lose more notable players before the start of recent seasons. With a planned merger between the Tour and LIV no closer to being completed, there is reason to believe the bitter war between them could restart and LIV might acquire more top talent from the PGA.
PGA Tour not likely to lose any more top players to LIV before 2024 season
During a Monday appearance on NBC’s “Golf Today,” Ryan Lavner of the Golf Channel, and Joel Beall of Golf Digest were asked about the possibility of more impactful PGA defections before the start of the 2024 season in January, and surprisingly they both didn’t expect that to happen again any time soon.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if a big name inching toward 40, or guys who are no longer competitive, maybe making the jump,” Beall said. “But given the World Rankings decision, I can’t see a guy in his prime, who still values competition, making that leap unless they decided I just want to be a barnstormer at this point. If you’re someone who really cares about competing week-in week-out, you don’t make the jump to LIV a this point.”
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“I could see a bevy of PGA Tour journeymen who have become disenfranchised with the Tour model or being excluded from some of these signature events, I can see that caliber of player making the jump — in what could be the final opportunity to snag one of those significant signing bonuses that LIV or the PIF can offer,” Lavner added. “But a player of significance who actually cares about his legacy in the game, I just don’t see them [leaving to LIV].”
As of now, the World Golf Rankings do not recognize LIV Golfers.
