PGA Tour (the Professional Golfer’s Association) has decided to merge with LIV Golf recently in a controversial yet exciting development. While the merger is not complete just yet, it holds a lot of implications for the future of golf.
For the longest time, PGA and its tournaments were the place for professional golfers. However, that changed in 2022 when LIV Golf came around and attracted some of the high-profile names in the sport such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka.
So what is LIV Golf and how did it become such a significant part of the sport? In 2021, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund founded the league which held its first season in 2022. Some may also ask what LIV stands for. As per many reports available online, LIV is the Roman numeral for 52. Unlike the PGA, LIV had a prize pool of $25 million and the winner would get a guaranteed $4 million.
The PGA Tour and Saudi-backed LIV Golf have agreed to merge into a new, yet-to-be-named company
This deal would combine the PGA Tour and LIV Golf’s commercial businesses and rights pic.twitter.com/VHDQGTpZPw
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 6, 2023
As per a report from The New York Times, the last-place finisher would also earn at least $120,000. Hence, the league became the richest in the sport’s history. The report also clarified that champion golfer Dustin Johnson was reportedly made an offer of $150 million to be a part of the endeavor. However, PGA was extremely unhappy with the formation of the league and professionals jumping ship.
PGA commissioner Jay Monahan revealed, at the time, that players who decided to participate in the LIV Golf tournaments, would be suspended. Even PGA star Rory Mcllroy was a staunch critic of LIV Golf. However, a year later, the situation changed as the PGA tour and LIV Golf merged on June 6, 2023. Not only did the merger bring a new dawn to the sport, but it also ended all the legal disputes between the parties.
So the question is, what will the new for-profit entity be called? Currently, there is no official name for the merger. The company is currently going by its placeholder name, “NewCo.”
How did the players react to the new PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger?
PGA Commissioner Jay Monahan has revealed after the initial announcement that the deal is not set in stone just yet. According to him, it is just a “framework agreement” and the “definite agreement” will still take some time as the fate of the deal will be decided by a voting process at a later date. Hence, the leagues will remain separate for the time being and will hold their separate tournaments as previously scheduled.
However, some of the players after definitely unhappy with the new agreement. As per some of the reactions, it does seem they were not happy to be kept in the dark about the decision. A lot of players stayed in the PGA while some of their contemporaries jumped ship to LIV Golf. Hence, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger did not go down well with the players.
Here are some reactions from the players
The hell is going on?
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 6, 2023
Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right? 🤷🏻♂️
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 6, 2023
Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.
— Mackenzie Hughes (@MacHughesGolf) June 6, 2023
I feel betrayed, and will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time
— Wesley Bryan (@wesleybryangolf) June 6, 2023
So what are your thoughts on the initial agreement between PGA Tour and LIV Golf to merge? Let us know in the comments down below.