PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan previously exhausted extensive energy while defending the Tour from its controversial LIV Golf counterpart only to usher in an agreement pairing the two together.
The announcement came Tuesday morning with the joint statement from the three agreeing parties — PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which financially backed LIV — referring to it as a “landmark agreement” that will “unify to game of golf” on a global basis. The partnership will combine PIF’s “golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV)” with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
Monahan, who refused to mention LIV Golf by name during a press conference at this time last year, shared the following in a statement:
“After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love,” Monahan shared. “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. Going forward, fans can be confident that we will, collectively, deliver on the promise we’ve always made — to promote competition of the best in professional golf and that we are committed to securing and driving the game’s future.
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“We are pleased to move forward, in step with LIV and PIF’s world-class investing experience, and I applaud PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan for his vision and collaborative and forward-thinking approach that is not just a solution to the rift in our game, but also a commitment to taking it to new heights. This will engender a new era in global golf, for the better.”
The joint statement indicated all parties will work together to finalize terms on the agreement in the months to come.
Featured image via Adam Hagy/USA TODAY Sports Images
