The recently-launched LIV Golf, a Saud-funded tour which has created much controversy within the sport, will merge with the PGA Tour and DP World tour, ending a two-year rivalry which involved litigation.
The three tours announced the merger of their commercial operations on Tuesday, to form “a new collectively owned, for-profit entity.”
Since its launch in October 2021, LIV Golf has shaken up the sport, drawing in top PGA tour talent with its attractive packages and money guarantees. The tour’s circuit features 54-hole events with no cuts instead of the traditional 72-hole format.
The merger comes in the midst of the competition’s second edition.
Saudi Arabia has been pouring its oil money to sign major sports stars. But critics say the kingdom, which is often criticized by the West for its human rights abuses, is using sports popularity to improve its global reputation.
What was the golf rift all about?
The rift ignited a series of lawsuits and created resentment between golf players who joined LIV Golf, and those who preferred to snub it.
The US-based PGA exacerbated the acrimony by banning the Saudi-funded tour players. Europe’s DP World Tour also handed the players heavy fines.
However, the newly-announced merger seems to attempt to rectify that.
The PGA tour has said that the merging parties had agreed to “establish a fair and objective process for any players who desire to re-apply for membership with the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour following the completion of the 2023 season.”
Pending litigation against LIV Golf will also end, as per the agreement.
The new commercial entity’s board will have the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan as chairman and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan as Chief Executive Officer.
What has the reaction been like?
PGA Tour’s Monahan described the merge as a “historic day,” following two years of “disruption and distraction.”
“This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV — including the team golf concept — to create an organization that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans,” he added.
Rumayyan also praised the “very exciting day,” hailing what he described as the LIV model’s “positively transformative” impact on the sport.
“We believe there are opportunities for the game to evolve while also maintaining its storied history and tradition. This partnership represents the best opportunity to extend and increase the impact of golf for all,” he said.
Some players have also welcomed the merger.
Superstar golfer Phil Mickelson, who was among the players to controversially move to LIV Golf, tweeted: “Awesome day today.”
Meanwhile, some PGA Tour players were less pleased to have not been informed of the merger beforehand.
“Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with,” said Canadian star Mackenzie Hughes.
rmt/jcg (AFP, Reuters)
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
