PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is well-aware that Wednesday’s surprise announcement that the tour will merge with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – the primary financial backer of LIV Golf – will be seen as a major reversal, to put it lightly.
The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which is the primary financial backer of LIV Golf, have announced a treaty and potential merger, ending two years of civil war in professional golf.
According to Endeavor chief executive Ari Emanuel, the company was pitched a stake in the Saudi-backed circuit by Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau.
At peace with himself, his game, his move to LIV Golf and his appearance in Netflix’s “Full Swing” series, Brooks Koepka showed some promise that he can contend in next week’s Masters after a hot start to LIV Golf’s Orlando tournament Friday.
Golf Digest spoke to a number of players about the plan that was presented to them in a meeting on Tuesday at the Players Championship – and was apparently passed in a surprise vote nine days ago by the PGA Tour Policy Board during the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Sentiment ranged from hope to unease to downright indignation.
Among the many and varied topics LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has covered in his ongoing long-distance dialogue with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour is that of World Ranking points.
You wouldn’t think of Adam Scott, one of the most reserved and even-keeled individuals in golf, as someone who likes to “stir the pot,” so to speak, on matters related to the PGA Tour and the game in general.
The tour and DP World Tour announced they have expanded their relationships with the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association, with the KPGA now a part of the circuits’ strategic alliance.
With four months’ worth of hindsight, it appears the gathering of nearly two dozen high-profile tour pros in August can be viewed as a turning point for the PGA Tour in its ongoing fight with the Saudi-backed upstart.
The top three players on the Japanese Order of Merit will earn membership onto the DP World Tour for the ensuing year, beginning with the 2022-2023 season.