LIV Golf will ‘continue in 2024’ after PGA merger…despite Tour chief Jay Monahan saying he hasn’t ‘seen a scenario’ where the Saudi-backed series exists
- PGA commissioner Jay Monahan says he can’t imagine how LIV is going forward
- But Greg Norman told staff that LIV will continue as a standalone business.
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While there are no concrete plans on the future of LIV Golf amid the merger of the DP World Tour, Saudi PIF and PGA Tour, Rebel Tour team managers say they are planning to move forward.
Speaking to the Telegraph, one of the captains of the LIV team – outright winner Martin Kaymer – said PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan called him on the day of the announcement.
“Yassir called me on Tuesday and said ‘we don’t know where this will take us yet’ but congratulated me for making the right choice and trusting the whole product” , Kaymer said.
“And I’m very proud of myself for doing that. For PIF to come in now and buy the PGA Tour, support the PGA Tour, I imagine everyone was surprised.
According to Sports Illustrated, Dustin Johnson has been contacted by someone at LIV and given assurances – sources telling SI that the tour plans to continue its schedule for the remainder of this season and into 2024.
LIV Golf’s future uncertain as conflicting media reports blur the picture
Some team captains have been contacted by PIF Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan who said things will go as planned for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
It seems neither side has a clear indication of where the Rebel Team Golf event will go in the future.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said he “doesn’t see a scenario” where LIV would exist in its current format alongside the PGA Tour next season.
According to Jimmy Dunne, a member of the PGA Tour board of directors, Monahan will have full leeway in how LIV presents itself in the future.
But LIV Commissioner Greg Norman apparently told his staff something different during calls they had last week.
“The tap is now wide open for commercial sponsorships, blue chip companies, TV networks,” Norman said according to a person on the call who wished not to be identified.
“LIV is and will remain an independent company. Our economic model will not change. We’ve changed history and we’re not going anywhere.
But beyond the captains, SI says “few, if any, players were contacted directly on Saturday afternoon.”
However, there appears to be no sign of a cooling off between the two sides following the announcement.
PGA commissioner Jay Monahan says he doesn’t ‘see a scenario’ with LIV existing next year
But LIV commissioner Greg Norman told staff the circuit would ‘continue’
As Kaymer says, with the merger between the PGA and the Saudis, those who claimed to have high morals found themselves taken by surprise.
“I can’t wait to see the reaction of all the people who said ‘we don’t want to play for blood money. .. we don’t want to sell our soul,” Kaymer said.
“Well, now they have to move to Japan (and play on the Japan Golf Tour) in order to stay true to their word.”
The two tours will face off again in a major tournament next week at the US Open in Los Angeles.
