Merger negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have restarted recently but a new sticking point could potentially sink discussions again.
A few years ago, a war surprisingly started in the world of pro golf. After a century of dominance as the top league in the sport, the PGA Tour had serious competition when LIV Golf was created. The upstart league immediately became a serious threat due to having the bottomless bank accounts of the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
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It allowed them to lure away many PGA stars with absurd contracts that the Tour could never match. But, the bitter war seemed over when it was announced last summer that a merger agreement had been reached between the rival leagues. However, a deal has yet to be finalized despite months of negotiations.
Now, with the PGA Tour season over and LIV finishing up its 2024 campaign, merger talks recently began anew. And it was reported this week that a deal is as close as it has ever been. However, a new rumor from Bloomberg has revealed a shocking sticking point that could be an insurmountable hurdle for some LIV players.
Could Jon Rahm be forced to give back $300 million from LIV Golf to return to PGA Tour?
“Some PGA Tour players want [Jon] Rahm — and others — to hand back money they’ve made from LIV,” sources told Bloomberg. “Other options include paying fines to participate in events, giving to charity, or agreeing to forfeit any future career winnings on the PGA Tour.”
Rahm reportedly landed a contract worth $300 million from LIV earlier this year.
It could be a small minority asking that LIV players give all their Saudi money back. However, if there’s an outcry from the majority, it’s hard to imagine a merger agreement getting finalized in 2024.
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