PGA Tour told to bring back LIV Golf stars as £766 million merger talks intensify
Representatives of the PGA Tour recently met with officials from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia in New York to continue discussions regarding their ongoing negotiations. Former European Ryder Cup captain, Padraig Harrington, has expressed his views on the future of professional golf, suggesting that the PGA Tour should extend invitations to LIV…
Representatives of the PGA Tour recently met with officials from the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia in New York to continue discussions regarding their ongoing negotiations. Former European Ryder Cup captain, Padraig Harrington, has expressed his views on the future of professional golf, suggesting that the PGA Tour should extend invitations to LIV Golf players while calling for reciprocity from the breakaway league.
Harrington shared his thoughts during this week’s Irish Open, where he was asked about the ongoing discussions and potential future of the sport. His comments came in the wake of an ESPN report that revealed the PGA Tour’s meeting with the PIF earlier in the week, as part of continuing talks to reach a peace deal with LIV Golf.
In June 2023, the PGA Tour and PIF surprised the golfing world by announcing a framework agreement that suggested a possible ‘merger’ between the two rival tours. While there were hopes this agreement would resolve the ongoing tensions, Harrington remains skeptical that a full merger will occur. Instead, he proposes an alternative solution that would allow players from both tours to compete against each other more regularly.
Harrington’s idea involves inviting players from LIV Golf to participate in PGA Tour and European Tour events, with LIV doing the same for international teams. He suggests each PGA and European Tour event should offer four spots for LIV players, and in return, each LIV event should invite four international players. This crossover, he believes, would help integrate players from both tours without forcing a full merger.
“Ideally, I would suggest that every PGA Tour and European Tour event should have four invites for LIV players,” Harrington said during the Irish Open. “And every LIV event should have four invites for an International team. That way, we have enough crossover to get Jon Rahm to play on the European Tour or Abraham Ancer to compete in the Mexican Open.”
Harrington also pointed out the potential excitement such an arrangement could bring to the sport. “If four LIV players participated this week, they would draw a lot of attention. Some people would want them to succeed, while others might hope they fail. But it would certainly create a buzz. The same would apply if four PGA Tour or international players showed up at a LIV event. There would be a lot of focus on the outsiders, and it would generate interest.”
He believes this approach would provide the necessary exposure and excitement for fans without requiring a complete merger. Harrington emphasized that while the business side of golf could be handled separately, merging the tours may not be practical, particularly for PGA Tour players who are content with their current schedules.
“You’re not going to convince PGA Tour players to add 10 or 14 more events around the world,” he continued. “They’ve struggled with the idea of traveling to Asia or other far-off locations due to the jet-lag and fatigue. So, I don’t see golf merging.”
As negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF continue, the outcome remains uncertain. Recent reports suggest that PIF is willing to invest as much as £766 million ($1 billion) into the PGA Tour’s new for-profit entity, PGA Tour Enterprises.
Speaking at last month’s Tour Championship, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan acknowledged the complexity of the ongoing discussions. “I see optimism on both sides regarding the future and our ability to come together,” Monahan said. “But these conversations are complex, and they will take time.”
The future of professional golf hangs in the balance as talks continue between the two entities. Whether Harrington’s proposed solution or another arrangement will come to fruition remains to be seen.