• Loading stock data...
Sunday, June 1, 2025

One Year After ‘Merger,’ the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Still Remain Far Apart

  • Thursday marks one year since a bombshell announcement.
  • Negotiations with LIV’s financial backers are still ongoing.
The Columbus Dispatch

This weekend, 125 of the world’s top golfers will be competing for $45 million in prize money. The problem is they won’t all be playing against one another. 

The PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament in Ohio and LIV Golf’s Houston event will perfectly showcase the ongoing divide in the men’s professional game—one that was supposed to be headed toward a solution 12 months ago. Thursday marks one year since the PGA Tour and LIV’s financial backer, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, announced a bombshell framework agreement to unify golf.

Merger? What Merger?

Confusion was rampant in the days and weeks following that announcement. Players were stunned by the deal, which no one knew how to properly address. As PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan broke the news on CNBC, a graphic read “LIV Golf to merge with PGA TOUR.” But in the aftermath, the PGA Tour continuously pushed back on any notion of a merger, pointing instead to the complex nature of the framework agreement.

Bumpy Road

In the wake of the PIF deal, following the PGA Tour has been a roller-coaster ride, to say the least. Tour executives were questioned by members of the U.S. Senate. Rory McIlroy quit the Tour policy board (before later trying, unsuccessfully, to rejoin it). Jon Rahm led a wave of more defections to LIV. The PGA Tour and PIF missed a Dec. 31 deadline to reach a definitive agreement. A consortium of sports team owners invested an initial $1.5 billion in the Tour’s operations, with players receiving equity grants in the new company.

What Lies Ahead

As questions mounted about the PGA Tour–PIF deal last summer, it became clear that any meaningful change wouldn’t come until at least 2025, given the need to set ’24 schedules in due time. But now, it appears ’26 is the earliest golf fans should expect PGA Tour and LIV stars back together on a singular circuit.

Burning questions remain around what penalty, if any, LIV players will face in order to return to the PGA Tour; what will become of the LIV tour and its team format; and which executives will ultimately be in charge of the sport’s future.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

PSG and the City of Paris Can Join European Soccer’s Elite

What a maiden Champions League title would mean for the French club.

French Open Scheduling Sparks Backlash Over Women’s Time Slots

Coco Gauff has also said the French Open schedule could be improved.
Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson Accused of Rape and Abuse in Lawsuit

The woman says their relationship began when he was at Duke in 2018.

Featured Today

How the Champions League Anthem Took on a Life of Its Own

The composer didn’t know he wrote a timeless hit three decades ago.
May 25, 2025

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
May 24, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Basketball Universe—Thanks to Both Pro Teams

The Fever and Pacers are thriving at the same time.

Max Verstappen Linked to $300M Aston Martin Deal Ahead of Miami GP

Aston Martin is currently seventh in the constructors championship.
March 20, 2025

High School Sports Power Signs Eight-Figure Rights Deal in First

The deal pays roughly $1 million annually, FOS has learned.
March 27, 2025

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions Gets PE Boost

The Hall of Famer’s company gains another prominent backer.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
March 20, 2025

Maxx Crosby’s Agent: Edge Rushers Set to Dominate NFL’s Non-QB Market

Maxx Crosby just signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension.
March 4, 2025

Eagles Make Saquon Barkley NFL’s Highest-Paid Running Back Ever

Barkley is coming off a historic 2024 season with the Eagles.
February 18, 2025

Tiger Woods Signs First PGA Tour Player to Wear Sun Day Red

Karl Vilips will wear Sun Day Red at his season debut at the Mexico Open.
Teammates embrace during matchup in The Hundred cricket league
February 15, 2025

Google, Microsoft, Adobe CEOs Buy Stakes in Cricket League

The England and Wales Cricket Board raised £520m by selling team stakes.