This is an announcement that no one saw coming, not even the players it seems. After all the bickering and ill will on both sides of the men’s game, the PGA and DP World Tours have decided to merge with LIVGolf in what is being hailed as a “memorable day”.
Among other things, this brings an end to ongoing litigation and will see a new collective business entity formed with the aim of generating enthusiasm and competition between players across all circuits.
But more than anything else, at this early stage, it raises questions. How did it happen? Why did very few people know that this topic was being discussed behind closed doors? What does this mean for the Ryder Cup and players who have relinquished their PGA and/or DP World Tours membership? The list goes on.
With this in mind, we thought it best to look at some of the more pressing issues and try to provide realistic explanations and suggestions where possible…
How will the circuits merge?
The new entity that is to be created still does not have a name, so it is unlikely that we will find the answer to this question before the end of 2023, but this is what we know so far via the statement of the PGA Tour.
It said: “The parties have signed an agreement which combines the golf-related activities and commercial rights of PIF (including LIV Golf) with the commercial activities and rights of the PGA TOUR and the DP World Tour into a new collective for-profit entity . “.
He continued: “The board of directors of the new business entity will include (Yasir) Al-Rumayyan as chairman and (Jay) Monahan as general manager; the new entity’s board of directors will also include an executive committee including Al-Rumayyan, Monahan, (Ed) Herlihy and PGA TOUR Board of Directors member Jimmy Dunne.
“The full composition of the board will be announced at a later date and it is anticipated that all three founding members will be represented.”
So it appears that the “new entity” will largely be managed by the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund, but what does that mean for the golf calendar? Remember, the big problem with the established tours with LIV Golf was that it ran conflicting events and hired some of the biggest names in the sport to compete in them.
It looks like there will still be a PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf in 2024, so perhaps not much will change. LIV events will clearly be kept separate from the flagship PGA and DP World Tour events, as well as the Majors, but it’s very possible that next year’s schedule will be similar, although LIV players will likely be able to appear again on the other circuits.
However, given LIV’s current 48-player closure policy, it will be interesting to see if the current PGA/DP World Tour members will have such fluidity…
Will team golf be a regular activity?
One of the main aims of LIV when it launched was to introduce more regular team competitions into golf to accompany the individual element, in the same way Formula 1 works. This led to the formation of 12 four-man teams, all with captains capable of recruiting players and making trades, like in other sports.
4 Aces GC is the most successful LIV Golf team to date
(Image credit: Getty Images)
With this announcement, this concept should be developed. In his statement, Monahan said: “As LIV Golf is in the midst of its groundbreaking second season, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and PIF will work together to better showcase and develop team golf in the future. »
This seems to point to 2023 LIV Golf League will run its course as planned, before perhaps something is decided for next year. One of the ideas that has been gaining traction is that manufacturers could buy team franchises, so maybe that’s the way things are going.
It remains to be seen how they will organize this across three different tours, but this seems like the most likely solution at this point.
Is this the end for Greg Norman?
During an appearance on CNBC in America, Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), was asked if Greg Norman had been involved in discussions about the deal, responding: “He is at the fluent. I made a call just before this. …Of course he is our partner. All stakeholders with us received a call just before this interview.”
What does the future hold for Greg Norman, CEO of LIV Golf?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
It’s not much of a vote of confidence for your commissioner to find out about him from the rest of the world. Does this mean the Australian’s days are numbered in his current role as the face of LIV Golf? After all, he helped fan the flames of the division, repeatedly aiming digs in the direction of Monahan and take a casual shot at Rory McIlroy for good measure.
Norman was also unclear about his future in his first comment since the merger was announced, writing on Twitter: “A great day in world golf for players and fans. The journey continues!!”
A great day in world golf for players and fans. The journey continues!!June 6, 2023
There have already been rumors linking Norman with an exit, so this new deal could be the final straw.
And the Ryder Cup?
The decision in favor of Keith Pelley and the DP World Tour in April effectively meant that Europeans on LIV Golf’s roster would not be available to play on Luke Donald’s team in this year’s Ryder Cup. Has this changed now?
The answer is not yet known, but it could be. In addition to his written statement, the DP World Tour released a video of Pelley discussing some of the issues most likely to be on people’s minds. Among them, he was asked about those who had renounced their membership in order to be able to play on LIV without incurring new sanctions.
DP World Tour General Manager Keith Pelley on today’s historic agreement between DP World Tour, PGA TOUR and PIF. pic.twitter.com/ezV07DQKnQJune 6, 2023
He said: “Once again, I have been completely consistent with this since we announced our sanctions in the first place, that there was always a way back. Players were not banned, there was always a way for them to get back to the DP. World Tour.
“What we will do now is work closely with the PGA Tour and the PIF to establish what we believe to be a fair and objective process for any player who wishes to reapply for membership, who wishes to return at the DP World Tour.
“But just as with the initial arbitration, the process will be consistent with the Tour’s disciplinary process.”
This seems to suggest that anyone who joins the DP World Tour will still be hit with some sort of sanction. The number of competitive LIV Golf events they have participated in is therefore likely to determine the length of the suspension and their chances of competing in this year’s Ryder Cup.
However, in the future, should LIV Golf’s European contingent regain DP World Tour status, they could once again be eligible to qualify for the biennial competition.
An additional consequence to all this is the question of the captaincy. Tour rules state that any player who has resigned their membership can no longer be considered for a behind-the-scenes role at the Ryder Cup, even if they successfully reapply. So unless Pelley makes an exception, that means people like Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter And Henrik Stenson will still not be able to serve as captain of the Europe team.
Does this mean LIV will get OWGR points?
The lack of points in the world rankings has been one of the biggest problems for LIV and its players, leaving players like Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Sergio Garcia in freefall.
Koepka has mitigated his losses in recent months by finishing tied for second at the Masters and winning his third PGA Championship, but the others are still well out of position. It is above all a question of eligibility, with entry into the four Majors still largely dependent on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
As a result, the OWGR has received widespread criticism for its lack of precision. Phil Mickelson has been one of its fiercest critics, but does that now mean LIV will get the recognition it so desperately needs?
It certainly seems more inevitable than ever, especially with Monahan and Pelley on the OWGR board. Both men had previously recused themselves from being involved in the LIV affair. due to a conflict of interest, but this now appears to have been replaced by a direct interest.
LIV Golf should not automatically be awarded OWGR points as a result of this announcement, but it would not be surprising if it speeds up the process.
