Tuesday’s surprise news that the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the LIV Golf tour have called an end to legal hostilities and announced a merger has quickly sent shock through the golfing world and beyond.
Having been bitter rivals since the Saudi-backed breakaway tour kicked into life, with huge fees on offer and luring away some of the PGA Tour’s biggest stars, few expected such a dramatic turn of events at this point.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan lauded the “transformational partnership” in a statement to players.
Monahan will be a CEO and Yasir Al-Rumayyan will become the chairman of a newly merged, for-profit entity which doesn’t yet have a name.
Golf has been facing an earthquake of changed outlooks over the past two years or so and now it appears set for even more – here’s everything we know so far.
When does the merger start and what happens to the current tours?
It appears that the new combined company could be operational for the start of next year, though no definitive date has been set yet.
There’s also no absolute clarity over whether there will be partial integration of tours or all of them operating individually under the same holding company.
Updates will follow when this becomes clearer, but the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV will all retain control of their own rules and “inside the ropes responsibilities”, suggesting three tours remain distinct and intact.
What will the prize money be?
Yet to be announced – but it’s seems unlikely to be anything smaller than was already on offer across the PGA and LIV Tours. Again, it likely will depend on the structure and whether the tours are entirely separate. The release from LIV’s side noted the Saudi Arabian state’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) are to invest “billions” in the new for-profit company which will be the result of the merger. There is no name for the new company as yet.
Which formats will be played?
This is an unknown, but the “team golf concept” was referenced in the statement, so perhaps certain events will hold this as a primary focus, or else if the LIV and PGA Tours remain separate entities, they will stay as they are with teams a feature of the Saudi-started circuit.
Can banned players rejoin tours?
In short, the answer appears to be “yes” – but it’s not yet confirmed how, or what they’ll need to do. The joint statement from the three tours said they would “work cooperatively [...] to establish a fair and objective process for any players who desire to re-apply for membership with the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour following the completion of the 2023 season”, so while they could do so in time, it won’t be immediate. Players seem set to see out the current year exactly where they are.
What happens with the Ryder Cup?
Another question yet to be answered although if players can reapply for tours, it’s likely they’ll also be reconsidered for selection if they weren’t already.
Who will actually run golf?
The PGA Tour is to hold majority control on the new board, but it will be PIF to exclusively fund it – and the new company will be a for-profit one. So it remains to be seen, and as much as there has been talk over improving the sport for everyone, when it comes to business, inevitably money talks.
What comes next?
Jay Monahan is due to travel to Toronto and hold a players-only meeting in RBC Canadian Open at 9pm BST.
