LIV Golf's Martin Kaymer says there has been no shortage of interest in players wishing to join the circuit since the Saudi Public Investment Fund that finances it agreed a merger with the PGA Tour DP World Tour.
Ever since the announcement of the deal, there have been questions as to whether LIV Golf has a future, with six-time Major winner Nick Faldo thinking its days are numbered and Jimmy Dunne, who helped broker the deal, claiming that PGA Tour CEO Jay Monahan can disband the circuit if he wants to.
Those suggestions have been refuted in some quarters, including from Phil Mickelson, while it’s been business as usual for LIV Golf in the build-up to this week’s tournament at Valderrama in Spain, with one of its teams, Majesticks GC, announcing a sponsorship deal earlier in the month.
While the golf world awaits clarity on how the future of the elite game will play out, Kaymer says there was interest from DP World Tour players keen on joining the circuit from the day of the announcement.
“That evening I got six messages from six different players on the DP World Tour wondering if there was a future for them on LIV,” Kaymer said. “I think you will be surprised how many players want to play all different Tours.”
Kaymer doesn’t think that would be a bad outcome, either, adding: “This will be great for the game of golf if we have all opportunities, PGA Tour, DP World Tour can play LIV events. I don’t know how that will work and don’t know all the details and vice versa because, ultimately, I think this is what the golf fans want and want it to happen.”
Several players have already committed their futures to LIV Golf, and may yet be able to return to the PGA Tour should they wish, depending on how the merger shakes out.
Despite that, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson have said they have no plans to return to the PGA Tour, and neither does Mickelson, who described the player experience on LIV Golf as “incredible.”
Sergio Garcia is another who has expressed reservations on rejoining the Tour, while Kaymer - along with his Cleeks GC teammate Graeme McDowell - also appears settled.
“I think you can only speak for yourself, and me and G-Mac are very happy where we are and we’re very happy when that merger came out because I think it was proof that we definitely made the right decision,” Kaymer said.
“Some people said it was risky and you don’t know what you are going to get into, but these days, in life, you just never know and you’ve got to go by trust and, after all, with the way things are shaping, it’s pretty good.”
