The PGA-LIV Merger, Explained

The surprise deal may still face legal hurdles amid criticism.

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PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan,speaks to the media during a press conference before the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass on March 7, 2023, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA Tour/Getty Images)

Last week’s shocking announcement that the PGA Tour will merge with the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf league ends hostilities between the two organizations and boosts Saudi Arabia’s ambitions in the sport. 

But the deal—which angered both PGA players and fans—has yet to be finalized and faces lots more questions. 

What is LIV Golf?

One year ago, LIV hosted its first tournament outside London, a symbolic opening shot in the golf world civil war. With financing from Saudi Arabia, the rebel league enticed PGA players—including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka—with hundreds of millions in deals. The PGA Tour responded by suspending the memberships of the defectors, with superstars such as Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods lobbying players to stay. “What they’ve done is they’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position,” Woods said last July.

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