The PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit have agreed to a landmark merger that will create one operation aimed to “unify the game of golf” — which has drawn mixed reactions from professional golfers and fans.
LIV Golf was founded by former pro golfer Greg Norman to challenge the PGA Tour, and is funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
And golfers who compete in both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf began reacting to this news on Tuesday morning, most notably LIV’s Phil Mickelson.
It’s no surprise that Mickelson is all “fore” it: he was one of the first professional golfers to leave the PGA Tour for LIV, and was offered roughly $200 million to join the league last year, according to the Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine. Dustin Johnson was another high-profile player who earned a big payday from LIV, reportedly bagging more than $150 million just to compete.
These were controversial moves, as many golfers were criticized for joining LIV Golf due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. According to the U.S. Department of State, Saudia Arabia has been accused in recent years of multiple human rights violations, including: unlawful killings; executions for nonviolent offenses; forced disappearances; torture and cases of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners and detainees by government agents, among other offenses.
What’s more, the PGA Tour suspended Mickelson and 10 other golfers last summer, and banned other players who joined the LIV Golf International Series from participating in any PGA Tour events. So many pro golfers’ reactions to the merger were more mixed, including these two PGA Tour players. “Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with,” wrote Canadian pro golfer Mackenzie Hughes.
“The hypocrisy,” added American golfer Dylan Wu. “I guess money always wins.”
Collin Morikawa, the Major winner of the PGA Championship and The Open Championship, who was playing exclusively on the PGA Tour, was also unaware of a possible merger. He learned the news on social media, too. “And everyone thought yesterday was the longest day in golf,” he wrote.
In addition to reactions from pro golfers, one notable golf enthusiast, former U.S. President Donald Trump, also commented on the merger on social media.
“GREAT NEWS FROM LIV GOLF. A BIG, BEAUTIFUL, AND GLAMOROUS DEAL FOR THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF GOLF. CONGRATS TO ALL!!!” he wrote in all caps on Truth Social.
Trump has supported golfers leaving the PGA in favor of LIV Golf, saying they would “pay a big price” if they didn’t take the money.
See also: Tiger Woods turned down LIV Golf offer in the ‘neighborhood’ of $700 million, says Greg Norman
As part of the merger, both sides are dropping lawsuits against each other effective immediately. In addition, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will make a major financial investment in the new-look entity, and will also be a corporate sponsor for events.
“There’s been a lot of tension in our sport over the last couple years,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told CNBC on Tuesday. “What we’re talking about today is coming together to unify the game of golf, and to do so under one umbrella.”
During Monahan’s interview, he was asked if he thought players and fans would react positively to the move.
“It’s less about how people respond today, and it’s all about how people respond in 10 years,” he said.
