LIV Golf, despite its recent merger agreement with the PGA Tour, is poised to maintain its scheduled events for the rest of 2023 and throughout 2024, according to former world number one, Dustin Johnson. The merger, which united the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the Saudi-backed LIV circuit, put an end to a contentious dispute within the golfing community.
Amidst the merger’s announcement, uncertainty looms over the structure of the golf calendar in 2024, with doubts surfacing regarding the continued existence of the LIV Golf League’s team-based competitions beyond the 2023 season. Notably, world number three Rory McIlroy expressed his expectation that LIV might “go away” post-merger.
However, Dustin Johnson, a prominent recruit for the LIV Golf League, disclosed that he received information from Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the financial backbone of LIV. Al-Rumayyan will also chair the board of the new commercial entity formed after the merger. Johnson stated, “Everything I’ve heard, they’re still working on a full schedule for next year.” He emphasized that the remainder of 2023 and 2024 would proceed as planned, with the future structure still uncertain.
Bryson DeChambeau, a former U.S. Open champion and an early supporter of LIV, also had discussions with Al-Rumayyan prior to the merger’s announcement. DeChambeau opined, “I don’t think (LIV) will go away,” alluding to potential undisclosed plans for a “bigger stage” and a “big global event.”
The golfing community remains on edge as it awaits more details on the post-merger landscape. “We just don’t know what it’s going to look like here. We’ll probably know some more in the next six months, but as for now everything’s just going to stay the same,” Johnson noted. Ultimately, the merger has brought about optimism among players like Johnson and DeChambeau, who look forward to a unified golfing world free from internal strife.
In conclusion, the merger between LIV Golf, the PGA Tour, and the DP World Tour has left the golfing world in anticipation of what lies ahead for the sport. While doubts persist about the future of the LIV Golf League, notable players like Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau remain optimistic about a bright future for professional golf. The next six months are expected to bring more clarity to the golfing calendar post-merger, offering fans and players alike a glimpse of what’s to come.
