PGA Tour merges with LIV Golf

 

In a stunning turn of events, the PGA Tour announced that it would be joining forces with LIV Golf and DP World Golf to unify as a large tour.  LIV Golf, which is funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, began in 2022 and signed multiple PGA pros to lucrative deals, causing a rift in the world of professional golf.  The surprising announcement came this morning when the PGA Tour announced the merger in a statement to its players. The negotiations were so secretive that no players have said they knew about them. It has been a tumultuous year for the two tours, as LIV Golf began poaching PGA Tour players by offering substantial amounts of money in return for them not playing PGA Tour events and joining LIV. Numerous high-profile golfers, including Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson, jumped to LIV Golf. The biggest contention point between players on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf players has been that the league was funded by Saudi-backed money. The new tour will be funded by that same Saudi Public Investment Fund, however. It also retains the right of first refusal for any additional investment in the new entity, giving it much power in the direction and scope of the large tour.  This will end litigation between the two tours, but it is not yet known how LIV Golf members can reapply to join the PGA Tour.