LIV Golf and the PGA Tour announced that they would be merging, according to multiple reporters and news outlets. LIV and PGA have been competing for years now, with LIV doing everything they can to lure top golfers to their side. They managed to sign several top players, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka. Simply put, the players left for LIV because of money. In some ways, it’s no different when a player signs the biggest contract he can find in MLB or the NFL. Like everything else, the business side of things is the primary concern for many athletes. There was pending litigation from both sides against each other that will end due to this merger. From this point of view, it made sense for both parties to come together.
This is also significant for golf fans and people that like to bet on golf. At the end of the day, fans just want to watch all of the best players compete against each other. With so many top golfers and golfers in general joining LIV, it hurt the PGA’s product. Those golfers couldn’t be watched or bet on in any sanctioned PGA event. Needless to say, the ramifications of this merger are quite significant.
First and foremost, prize money for golfers will likely stay the same, as all parties now have the same incentive to keep everyone happy. Secondly, it was announced that every golfer that joined LIV will have the chance to come back into the fold with the PGA. Again, this is good news for anyone who enjoys golf in any capacity. At the end of the day, we want to watch the competition.
This deal benefits everyone involved. Now that the biggest golf entities and players are all back on the same page, the future couldn’t be any brighter for the sport.