Pro Golf Shocker: PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour to Merge and ‘Unify the Game of Golf’

A press release sent Tuesday morning delivered shockwaves through the world of golf.

Unbeknownst to many players and agents on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf sides, the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour announced plans to merge and move forward as one commercial business. In the statement, the move is being called “a landmark agreement to unify the game of golf on a global basis.”

The PGA TOUR, DP World Tour and PIF announce landmark agreement to unify men’s professional golf.

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 6, 2023

The deal combines the PGA Tour and DP World Tour with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund’s “golf-related commercial businesses and rights of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players.”

As a result of this agreement, all pending litigation among the three parties has ceased.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan will be meeting with players Tuesday afternoon in Toronto, which is the site of this week’s RBC Canadian Open. In a memo to players, Monahan said that the PIF would become a premier corporate sponsor of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and other international golf tours.

At this point, there are far more questions than answers when it comes to how the sport will look moving forward. However, Monahan did offer some points:

• LIV Golf will conclude its 2023 season as scheduled.
• A “fair and objective process” will be established for players wanting to re-apply for PGA Tour or DP World Tour membership following the 2023 season.
• LIV’s team concept will move forward in some fashion.

According to multiple reports, players were taken by surprise at this move. One told ESPN he was shocked by the timing:

“It’s insanity. The LIV tour was dead in the water. It wasn’t working. Now, you’re throwing them a life jacket? Is the moral of the story to just always take the money?” 

Others took to social media to express their surprise.

I love finding out morning news on Twitter

— Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) June 6, 2023

PGA Tour didn’t communicate this to players at all. They found out same time we did.

“Shocked and confused.”

“Disgusted. They didn’t tell us anything.”

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 6, 2023

The PIF was financing LIV Golf, which debuted on the course a year ago this week in London and committed hundreds of millions of dollars into $25 million purses at tournaments and huge signing bonuses for top players like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

The press release stated that the PIF will make a capital investment into the new entity, which has not yet been given a name. A new board of directors will oversee and direct all golf-related commercial operations, businesses, and investments. While the PIF will have the exclusive right to further invest in the new entity and have right of first refusal on any other capital that may be invested, the PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board of directors and hold a majority voting interest.

Interestingly, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman’s name was not mentioned anywhere in the press release. The statement said that finalizing the agreement between all parties will take months.

Cover Image Via Fox Business