When, in June 2023, the PGA and LIV announced plans for the LIV to merge its competitions with the PGA’s, fans jumped for joy. The announcement meant an end to years of rivalry and, to an extent, hostility, between the two organizations, including poaching of players, insults, lawsuits and talk of human rights violations in Saudi Arabia.
However, more than a year later the two organisations were still negotiating the agreement. It seems several points have caused the two organisations to reach a deadlock, including travel, schedules, defections of players and, of course, financial arrangements. Ultimately, the failure to come to an agreement damaged the game and the players, whose organisations forbid them to compete in certain tournaments. There are reports that the organisations have finally managed to reach an agreement. Below is a look at the impact of the deal and what’s been going on, some of the main players in the (dis)agreement and some events still to be played.
The deal between the LIV and PGA and its impact
Players may have missed out during the rivalry between the two organisations, but it looks as if they could now benefit. As a result of the merger, the PGA will put higher prize money up for grabs at its competitions. Prize money on the DP Tour can also increase, thanks to its strategic alliance with the PGA.
The PGA tour has been reluctant for its players to take part in some of the LIV’s events around the globe. Some don’t consider the PGA Tour truly global because of this. However, the PIF is reported to have made this one of their caveats for investment in the PGA. It’s terrific news for golf fans, who will enjoy more accessibility to some of the sport’s biggest stars.
The merger could see the chief executive and commissioner of the LIV, Greg Norman, leave his post. The former pro golfer has been a critical voice of golf authorities and, at the height of the war between the LIV and PGA, some major players in golf felt he had to go. As discussions between the PGA and the LIV’s financial backers, the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), have stepped up, it’s become clear the exit of Norman from his position could prove critical. Some in the organisation say he’d still have a role though.
Key players in the dispute
On the PGA’s side of the negotiations stand golf heavyweights Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, who have both gotten involved in the negotiations. One of McIlroy’s main interests has been in protecting the future of the PGA Tour and, in the past, he’s been a heavy critic of the LIV. He’s always been pro-PGA. When the negotiations started, he was the face of the PGA Tour but then became the leading voice for unification.
Another important player has been PGA commissioner, Jay Monaghan. In the time following the announcement of the merger, some players felt betrayed by the PGA management and expressed a lack of faith in management. They’d expressed a wish not to merge with the LIV. They didn’t feel it was the best thing for everyone… that there were still a lot of questions to be answered.
Monaghan has been seen playing with key player Yasir Al-Rumayyan in the same pairing at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, in Scotland. Rumayyan is the PIF governor.
The Australian PGA Championship
Of course, even though the above may be going on, there are still tournaments to run in the meantime. Coming up soon is the PGA Tour of Australia which is the starting point for the DP World Tour. The tournament takes place from 21 to 24 November, in Brisbane, at the Royal Queensland Golf Club, and will see internationals go up against some of Australia’s finest golfing talent.
From Europe, Jordan Smith, Yannick Paul, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Nico Colsaerts will all be flying over to play. All five had been performing and placing well in tournaments. Englishman Jordan Smith, who has won two DP events and finished 4th in the N.A Andalucía Masters in October 2024 is one of the favourites to shine according to the golf betting markets.
Waiting for them at the tournament and at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne will be Jason Day, Cameron Smith, Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman. They’ll be hoping to raise the title for their country.
After an increasingly bitter rivalry between the PGA and the LIV and some deadlocked negotiations, it appears the two organizations have finally made headway and are about to conclude the negotiations. This will be a win for the players, who can compete for higher amounts of money, and for fans, who will get to see players they might not have been able to see in the flesh previously.
