Woods, McIlroy Present Possible Glimpse of PGA Tour’s Future

The PGA Tour is in a fight with LIV Golf, and competition from the Saudi-funded challenger is inspiring new innovations from the 93-year-old Tour.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are leading a venture that will “have the world’s top golfers competing against each other in a non-green-grass, stadium environment,” according to Eamon Lynch of Golfweek. 

Their idea was presented during a players-only meeting on Aug. 16.

• Expected to launch in 2024, these one-day competitions are described as “technology forward” and will be played in front of a live audience. 
• LIV stars like Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau receive equity and revenue-sharing — Woods, McIlroy, and their PGA Tour colleagues could get equity, too. 
• The venture would “have private funding in addition to corporate partnerships and sponsors.”

The superstar duo’s proposal has buy-in from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, per Golfweek. 

Tiger the Elder Statesman

The best news for Monahan is the way Woods has stepped up to lead the counterattack against LIV.  

Golf Digest describes the 46-year-old as a “self-appointed shadow commissioner” whose goal is to “reshape the PGA Tour in a way that enough new money will flow to ensure top players will want to stay.”

“I think it’s pretty apparent that whenever we all get in the room there’s an alpha in there, and it’s not me,” McIlroy said of Woods.