PGA Tour merges with Saudi-supported LIV Golf.

Nathan GayJune 6, 2023

PGA Tour and LIV Golf Merge to Create New Golf Powerhouse

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf have finally put an end to their year-long legal battle by merging into a new, as-of-yet unnamed company. The deal, which also includes DP World Tour, will create a for-profit company that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners, and fans.

“After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

The PGA Tour’s dominance was challenged in 2021 when retired golfer Greg Norman, with funding from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), hosted LIV’s first tournament. The PGA Tour initially dismissed LIV out of hand, not allowing any golfer who participated in LIV to continue in the PGA tour. However, LIV slowly began picking off some of the biggest stars in golf to join their league, thanks to the PIF’s $2 billion reserve.

LIV picked off stars like Phil Mickelson ($200 million), Dustin Johnson ($100 million), and Bryson DeChambeau ($100 million) without having to win or even qualify for a single tournament, leaving even more money on the table.

The PGA Tour suspended 17 golfers from the tour for participating in LIV Golf, kicking off a year of lawsuits between the two golf juggernauts. However, with the merger, all lawsuits have been dropped, and the only remaining threat is a DOJ antitrust investigation into the PGA, which will be complicated by the merger.

The Future of Golf

The merger will push golf into the future and give fans the best experience, according to Monahan.

“Going forward, fans can be confident that we will, collectively, deliver on the promise we’ve always made – to promote competition of the best in professional golf and that we are committed to securing and driving the game’s future,” Monahan said.

With the merger, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have created a new golf powerhouse that will benefit everyone involved in the sport. It’s an exciting time for golf, and fans can’t wait to see what the future holds.