LIV Golf ‘WILL continue in 2024’ after PGA merger…despite Tour chief Jay Monahan saying he saw ‘no scenario’ in which the Saudi-backed series existed
- PGA commissioner Jay Monahan says he can’t imagine a way LIV will move forward
- But Greg Norman has told staff that LIV will continue as a standalone business
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While there are no concrete plans for LIV Golf’s future amid the merger of the DP World Tour, the Saudi PIF and the PGA Tour, team leaders on the Rebel circuit say they intend to continue.
Speaking to the Telegraph, one of the LIV team captains – grand 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 is going yet’ but congratulated me on making the right choice and trusting the whole product,” said Kaymer.
“And I’m very proud of myself for doing that. The fact that PIF is now coming in and buying the PGA Tour, supporting the PGA Tour has surprised everyone I think.”
According to Sports Illustrated, Dustin Johnson was contacted by someone in LIV and got assurances — with sources telling SI that the tour plans to continue its schedule for the rest of this season and into 2024.
The future of LIV Golf is uncertain as conflicting media reports blur the picture
Some team captains have been contacted by PIF Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan, who said things will continue as planned for the 2023 and 2024 seasons
It seems that neither side has a clear indication of the direction the rebellious, team-based golf event will take going forward.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said he saw “no scenario” where LIV would co-exist with the PGA Tour in its current form next season.
According to PGA Tour board member Jimmy Dunne, Monahan will determine in its sole discretion what LIV will look like going forward.
But LIV Commissioner Greg Norman seemingly told his staff otherwise in calls they received last week.
“The tap is now wide open for commercial sponsorship, blue chip companies, TV networks,” Norman said, according to a person in the conversation who did not wish to be identified.
‘LIV is and will remain an independent company. Our business model will not change. We’ve changed history and we’re not going anywhere.’
But apart from the captains, SI says ‘few if any players have been contacted directly as of Saturday afternoon’.
However, there appear to be no signs of cooling off between the two parties in the wake of the announcement.
PGA commissioner Jay Monahan says he “sees no scenario” with LIV next year
But LIV commissioner Greg Norman has told staff the circuit is ‘ongoing’
As Kaymer says, with the merger between the PGA and the Saudis, those who claimed to have the moral high ground were taken by surprise.
‘I’m really looking forward to the reaction of all the people who said ‘we don’t want to play for blood money. ..we don’t want to sell our souls,” Kaymer said.
“Well, now they have to move to Japan (and play on the Japan Golf Tour) to stay true to their word.”
The two tours collide again next week at a major tournament at the US Open in Los Angeles.