PGA Tour, LIV Golf Will Be Able To Poach Players From Each Circuit After Dropped Agreement
One key piece of the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) included a clause that the Tour and LIV Golf could not poach players from each circuit. That clause has now been removed, which means full-on recruitment battles could soon take place in professional golf.
The nonsolicitation clause was essentially a legal stop-gap to keep Tour players from making the move to LIV while negotiations were taking place about the new entity set to be formed between the PGA Tour, PIF, and DP World Tour.
The since-dropped agreement specifically stated that the Tour and LIV would not "recruit" or "solicit" players from each side.
Dustin Johnson is one of the most notable players to have left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
The New York Times reported that the clause has been dropped due to antitrust implications, which is one of the main concerns when it comes to the Department of Justice potentially blocking the merger between the Tour and LIV.
The Tour confirmed that it had agreed to drop the clause.
The Tour told the Times that it “chose to remove specific language” from the initial pact after it engaged with the Justice Department.
“While we believe the language is lawful, we also consider it unnecessary in the spirit of cooperation and because all parties are negotiating in good faith,” the tour said.
News of the dropped clause came just two days after the U.S. Senate held a subcommittee hearing questioning Jimmy Dunne and Ron Price from the PGA Tour.