The PGA Tour has agreed on a merger with the Saudi Arabian-backed circuit LIV Golf in a deal that will end a massive split in golf. The surprise announcement comes after a year of conflict in the men's game after LIV's launch.
This deal ends the pending litigation between the PGA and LIV as both organisations are set to grow forwards as large enterprises. Reports claim that this landmark deal was completed without the knowledge of many PGA Tour members and LIV Golf players and agents.
Both circuits released a statement stating that the parties have signed an agreement that "combines PIF's golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game's best players."
"After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement. "This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour's history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV -- including the team golf concept -- to create an organization that will benefit golf's players, commercial and charitable partners and fans."
As part of the deal, both LIV Golf and PGA will be dropping the lawsuits against each other effective immediately. The LIV Golf League had sued the PGA Tour in federal court last year. LIV had alleged that the PGA Tour had used its power to eradicate competition and influence vendors, media companies and others from working with them. Further, the PGA Tour countersued LIV, alleging they had interfered with its contracts with players.