LIV Golf's Future Reportedly Falls Under The Control Of The PGA Tour As Framework Of Merger Leaks
After three weeks of the golf world asking questions nobody seemed to have the answers to, we finally have the framework of the PGA Tour - LIV Golf merger thanks to a leak on Twitter.
The Athletic obtained a copy of the document that was shared on Monday night which lays out broad plans for the joining of forces between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), and in turn, LIV Golf.
The deal, which was signed on May 30 one week before the shocking announcement, was signed by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, PIF Governor Yasir al-Rumayyan, and DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelly after a reported six weeks of negotiations.
The document is only six pages, which speaks not only to the broadness of the outline but the speed at which it was put together. Nevertheless, we appear to have a few answers as to what the future of professional golf may look like.
Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of Saudi's PIF, was very much a part of the PGA Tour - LIV Golf merger decision and announcement. (Photo by Luke Walker/WME IMG/WME IMG via Getty Images)
While the majority of golf fans and media members alike reacted to the merger news as the Saudis buying professional golf, the Tour still seems to have the head seat at the table, at least on paper.
The Tour will also have a say on whether or not LIV Golf exists in the very near future, according to the document.
"The fate of LIV, the rogue golf league created by the PIF and fronted by Greg Norman, will be dictated by a NewCo board that will be controlled by a PGA Tour majority, per the agreement.
"It states an “empirical data-driven evaluation” will be conducted of 1-year-old LIV to determine its future, and the board, overseen by Monahan, “will determine the ongoing plan and strategy," as reported by The Athletic.
Here are a few other key takeaways from the leaked document:
Again, these details and framework are incredibly broad, but it does give the golf world a sense of what is to come, or what was at least agreed upon a few weeks ago between the three parties involved.
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