Dustin Johnson might not say a lot but, when he does, he offers some genuine nuggets. With nothing concrete in terms of what the new golfing world will look like after the recent partnership announcement between the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the PGA and DP World Tours, the future of the LIV Golf League has been questioned.
Now though Dustin Johnson, who is captain of the 4Aces GC team, is confident that LIV will be on the calendar and that it will be a full 14-tournament schedule similar to this year.
"As far as I know, LIV will go into 2024 and they're doing the schedule now," Johnson told Sky Sports. "That's the plan but I can't answer really any further than that. I mean I've talked to the guys but yeah, as far as I know, it's going to 2024 and is going to be a full schedule just like we did this year."
Johnson then confirmed that it was the PIF governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, that he had spoken to which added even more weight to his story. What's more, the two-time Major winner also spoke to the Golf Channel and he added that he would look forward to there being more of the game's greats at the same tournaments in the future.
"I just hope we can get all the best players playing at the same time at golf tournaments. Obviously it's a little split right now, but PGA Tour has great events and LIV has great events and to get everybody playing together would be fun and exciting."
Sorry to burst peoples bubble, but they’ll be there for 2024. Assuming more teams and captains. DJ is on the inside and clearly spoke with the boss. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Rahm in 2024 schedule along with some PGAT events. Cherry picking. #golf #pgat #livgolf #usopen pic.twitter.com/glRbZnO9hzJune 13, 2023
How that would look remains anyone’s guess. The PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan was asked last week if there might be a scenario that the PGA Tour and LIV have concurrent events, as we have this year, and that the players can go back and forth between the two tours.
“I can't see that scenario but I haven't gotten into the full evaluation, full empirical evaluation of LIV that I'm going to do to be able to comment on that. But I don't see that scenario, no. To me, any scenarios that you're thinking about that bridge between the PGA Tour and LIV would be longer term in nature,” explained Monahan.
As for the prospect of the LIV Golf League not existing in a year’s time, Monahan refused to be drawn.
“We're in a framework agreement. We haven't concluded the definitive agreement. I have not had the opportunity that I'm going to have to conduct a comprehensive empirical evaluation. I don't want to make any statements or make any predictions. But what is in place is a commitment to make a good-faith effort to look at team golf and the role it can play going forward.”
Rory McIlroy will needless to say be glad to see the back of LIV Golf and he said last week that there might be more team golf but away from what we’ve witnessed in the past 12 months with Greg Norman’s tour.
"I would say an element of team golf might still stay. My hope is it won't be under the LIV umbrella. It's something that the PGA Tour will control, the PGA Tour will operate. And it will hopefully look very different to what LIV has been.”
On the flipside Norman was reported, via Sports Illustrated, to have told his staff that, as Johnson explained, LIV Golf will continue and that they’re already working on the calendar for as far ahead as 2025.
“LIV is and will continue to be a standalone enterprise,” Norman said. “Our business model will not change. We changed history, and we’re not going anywhere. The spigot is now wide open for commercial sponsorships, blue-chip companies, TV networks.”
