‘People will call me a hypocrite’: Why golf competitions the PGA, LIV and European Tour are merging

In an announcement so shocking that many players didn’t know it was coming, major golf organisations the PGA Tour, European Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf have confirmed they are merging, in the hope of unifying the sport.

It comes after what the PGA Commissioner called “two years of disruption and distraction” in golf, and it means pending lawsuits between the parties will now be dropped.

Some players say they feel betrayed, while others haven’t commented — and missing from all the announcements was Australia’s Greg Norman, the commissioner of LIV Golf.

Let’s take a look at how this massive shift in golf came about, what it means for the sport, and how the industry and players have reacted.

Who is part of the merger?

The merger involves:

  • The PGA Tour, which hosts most of its tournaments in the US but also runs some events internationally;
  • The European Tour, which hosts most of its tournaments in Europe; and
  • LIV Golf, a controversial rival (until now) league funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund that has tried to reinvent the structure of professional golf while luring former major champions.

What’s the controversy around LIV Golf?

LIV Golf and Saudi Arabia have been accused of using “sportswashing” to gloss over human rights abuses in the country, such as the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, which the CIA said occurred on the orders of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.



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