PGA Tour will merge with rival LIV Golf, ending litigation and becoming a larger golf enterprise.
The agreement will combine the golf-related commercial businesses and rights of the Public Investment Fund, which includes LIV Golf, with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, to create a new “for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game’s best players,” according to a news release.
The agreement ends pending litigation between PGA Tour and LIV Golf. LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which is controlled by the Saudi crown prince, according to CNBC.
“After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love,” Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, said in a news release. “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.”
PGA Tour members allegedly found out about the news with the rest of the world. Wesley Bryan, who competed in the 2018 Masters Tournament, tweeted that the PGA Tour should be “ashamed.”
“Love finding out info on twitter,” Bryan tweeted. “This is amazing. Y’all should be ashamed and have a lot of questions to answer.”
Scott Stallings, a three-time PGA Tour winner, replied, “You and me both” when Collin Morikawa, a five-time PGA Tour winner, tweeted, “I love finding out morning news on Twitter.”
Earlier this year, the Human Rights Watch said that Saudi Arabia was attempting to cover up its human rights violations with LIV Golf, calling it “sportswash.” In 2022, Tiger Woods allegedly turned down $700 million to join the professional golf tour. Woods said he disagreed with players who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. “I think that what they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position,” he said.
9/11 Families United, a coalition of families and survivors of the 2001 terrorist attacks, released a statement, saying they are “deeply offended” by the merger.
“9/11 Families United is shocked and deeply offended by the newly announced merger between the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf league that is bankrolled by billions of sportswashing money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” the statement reads. “Saudi operatives played a role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and now it is bankrolling all of professional golf.”
According to CNBC, PIF is “prepared to invest billions” into the new entity.
There will be a “fair and objective process” for any players wanting to reapply with the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour, according to the news release.
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