Merger of the LIV and PGA Tour: 'intense, acrimonious' conversation between players and the commissioner.
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After a year of severe rifts in men's professional golf, the PGA Tour and the Saudi-sponsored LIV Golf tour unexpectedly announced an agreement to combine their business operations on Tuesday morning.
The implications of the news are still being worked out, since a meeting for PGA Tour players at 4 p.m. ET was arranged, and several of them claimed to be completely uninformed of the deal.
The PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour all jointly released a statement on Tuesday announcing the change. The goal of the merger is to establish "a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity to ensure that all stakeholders benefit from a model that delivers maximum excitement and competition among the game's best players."
The agreement's provisions are still being finalised and are expected to be done in the upcoming months.
The PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, declared in a statement on Tuesday that "this is a historic day for the game we all know and love after two years of disruption and distraction."
"Going forward, fans can be confident that we will, collectively, deliver on the promise we've always made—to promote competition of the best in professional golf—and that we are committed to securing and driving the game's future."
"I do feel bad for the PGA Tour players," said Bryson DeChambeau. Bryson DeChambeau, one of the most well-known players to leave the PGA Tour and join LIV Golf last year, spoke with host Kaitlan Collins on "CNN Primetime" about the shocking announcement of a merger between the Tour and LIV on Tuesday.
"There's been a lot more going on behind closed doors. What I can tell you is that H-E, Yasir, the governor of the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, has always been a steadfast supporter of golf and a champion of expanding the sport, DeChambeau said. That has always been his goal, ever since we first spoke a few years ago. I believe that this is the finest development for the game of golf as it stands right now. And I'm incredibly delighted to be a part of that because the fans will get what they want, the players will have a somewhat different experience, a little inexperienced on the PGA Tour side, but I firmly believe that in this situation, the game of golf triumphs.Collins then questioned DeChambeau on whether he believed Jay Monahan was a hypocrite for criticising the Saudi-sponsored golf league and the Tour players that left for LIV.
"I do feel sorry for the PGA Tour guys because we were told one thing and it came to pass, whereas they were told one thing and something else happened. DeChambeau stated, "In the end, I want the players, the spectators, and the game of golf to triumph.
The fact that the PGA Tour guys aren't always winning stinks a little bit in my opinion. I hope they can figure out a method to ensure that they are appreciated equally to how we are here at LIV.
I believe it will happen, but it will take some time as players resist a bit and try to determine what would offer them the best chance to succeed on their own end. We eventually all reunite to play as a unit again, and I believe it is the best outcome.
Commissioner of the PGA Tour: "People are going to call me a hypocrite."
After making a spectacular about-face and merging with LIV Golf, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said on Tuesday that he is aware "people are going to call me a hypocrite" because he had previously criticised the Saudi-backed league for its links to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.However, on Tuesday night, Monahan referred to the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia as "a great and world-class investor."
"I understand that I'll get called a hypocrite by some. Every time I spoke, I did so based on the knowledge I had at the time and in the context of someone who was attempting to compete for the PGA Tour and our players. According to Golf Week, Monahan acknowledged such accusations during a conference call on Tuesday. "However, conditions can change. I believe that's what brought us to this point—looking at the big picture and approaching it in this manner.
Seven weeks have passed since the deal was first discussed, according to Monahan: "We just realised that we were better off together than we were fighting or apart, and by thinking about the game at large and eliminating a lot of the friction that's been out there and doing this in a way where we can move forward."'Intense' player meeting conducted by PGA Tour commissioner following merger
After the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's stunning merger was announced on Tuesday afternoon, Jay Monahan conducted a players-only meeting at the Canadian Open. The meeting, which Monahan described as "intense, certainly heated," did not include many of the key players, according to the Associated Press.Monahan added, "I'm not shocked. "To ask them to process all of this is a lot. For us, this is a big change. This was ultimately a choice made in the best interests of everyone at the PGA Tour, as I'm attempting to convey as we move forward.
While there will likely be "a lot of questions and criticism" in the near future, according to Monahan, "players who stayed with the PGA Tour will see they benefited in many ways" in the long run.
Michael Kim, who was present at the meeting, expressed his disappointment on behalf of everyone. "Well... the meeting happened," he tweeted. came in giddy... However, not much transpired, and there are still too many unresolved issues.
PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger leaves Brandel Chamblee of the Golf Channel "disappointed"
Brandel Chamblee, a former men's professional golfer and current Golf Channel analyst, has been one of the loudest detractors of LIV Golf and its disruption of the sport. Chamblee spoke out about the situation and voiced his discontent with the PGA Tour when the merger was announced.
During a Tuesday appearance on the Golf Channel, Chamblee admitted, "After the shock sort of ebbed away, I was enormously disappointed." "In my opinion, today is among the most depressing days in the annals of professional golf. I do think that the institutions have abandoned their ideals in order to make money.
PGA Tour sponsors' "entanglements" with PIF funds; the enormous quantity of Saudi money that became accessible to the PGA Tour with the merger; and Chamblee's suspicion that these were the three main factors that led to the decision to merge.What details of the merger contract between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are currently known?
There are still a few significant aspects of the merger that remain unknown. To begin with, the new organisation is still without a name.
The merger's financial component is a crucial one. According to the news release, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi government's sovereign wealth investment fund, "will make a capital investment into the new entity to facilitate its growth and success." The LIV Golf enterprise had only ever been fully funded by the PIF.
The merger agreement further states that the PIF "will be initially the exclusive investor in the new entity" and "will have the exclusive right to further invest in the new entity, including a right of first refusal on any capital."
The new entity's operations, schedule, and investments will be managed and directed by a newly elected board of directors. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF, will serve on the executive committee and the board of directors of the new organisation. The full board's announcement will be made at a later time.The merger will also result in "a mutually agreed end to all pending litigation between the Participating Parties." Several players who switched to the LIV tour filed an antitrust action against the PGA Tour in August 2022 to contest their suspensions.
According to the merger agreement, the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour "will work cooperatively and in good faith to establish a fair and objective process" to enable former PGA Tour and DP tour players to reapply for membership following the 2023 season.Only a small portion of Saudi'sportswashing' is LIV Golf
Saudi funds are changing more than just golf.
In an effort to entice top European talent to Saudi Arabia, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia announced this week that it has effectively taken control of four of the biggest teams in the nation's professional football league. This is in addition to funding the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's merger on Tuesday.
Karim Benzema of Real Madrid and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea are both being signed by one of those teams, Al-Ittihad, for astronomical sums, according to freelance journalist Fabrizio Romano's story for The Guardian on Tuesday. According to Romano, Benzema will earn over $213 million annually over the course of two seasons, while Kante's contract is expected to pay more than $106 million annually.
With another Saudi team, Al-Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo earns more than $200 million annually, and according to Romano, Lionel Messi has had an offer of more than $370 million to play for Al-Hilal. The PIF also owns Newcastle United, aIn a larger effort of Saudi "sportswashing," or using sports to improve a nation's otherwise negative reputation, activists and academics have pointed to the PIF's investment in soccer and golf. Saudi Arabia has a history of violating human rights, notably through political murders, torture, enforced disappearances, and cruel treatment of detainees. Toby Schad.
Senators criticise the PGA Tour for its "hypocrisy" in regard to its merger with LIV Golf.
On Tuesday, two US senators addressed the shocking news of the PGA Tour's merger with LIV Golf on social media.
Ron Wyden of Oregon, the chairman of the Committee on Finance, denounced the agreement and vowed to research its financial effects. The combination means that the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia will support both domestic and international professional golf."Hypocrisy doesn't begin to describe this brazen, shameless cash grab," he wrote on Twitter. "I'm going to examine every detail of the agreement between Saudi Arabia and the PGA. American officials must decide if a contract will provide the Saudi government improper access to or control over U.S. real estate.
Chris Murphy of Connecticut expressed surprise at the agreement. He claimed that recently, PGA representatives came to his office and expressed their outrage about the Middle Eastern nation's history of violating social justice.
"So strange. He tweeted a news article about the unification and added, "PGA officials were in my office only months ago discussing how the Saudis' human rights record should prohibit them from having a stake in a major American sport.
"Perhaps their worries weren't really about human rights," I thought. Vivian Hernandez.How much did Phil Mickelson's LIV Golf contract cost?
Although Phil Mickelson hasn't disclosed the precise sum of his signing bonus for the LIV tour, it was widely assumed that his agreement would be more than Dustin Johnson's $125 million sum. Later, it was reported that Mickelson's contract, the largest one ever offered by the Saudi-sponsored tour, was for $200 million.'Sportswashing' is shown by the LIV Golf and PGA Tour merging.
The phrase has been used to refer to a variety of events over the previous six years, including the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a heavyweight boxing battle in Saudi Arabia in 2019, and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
It was also mentioned twice at a press conference held prior to the inaugural tournament of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league last summer.
Isn't there a risk that Phil Mickelson is viewed as a sportswashing tool as well? asked a reporter."Sportswashing" is a relatively recent concept. However, the technique it represents has been used by governments all across the world for at least a century.
For international leaders, sponsoring a famous athletic event or supporting a well-liked team is a means to boost their country's prestige. Toby Schad
What is the current status of the PGA Tour's antitrust lawsuit?
11 PGA Tour players who switched to LIV Golf in August 2022 filed an antitrust complaint to contest their sanctions from the tour.
This came after news broke the previous month that the US Department of Justice was looking into potential anticompetitive behaviour on the part of the PGA Tour. Later it was disclosed that the United States Golf Association, the PGA of America, and Augusta National Golf Club, which runs the Masters Tournament, were all under investigation.
Since then, solicitors for both parties have fought in a number of court cases in an effort to gain advantage. But with the merger, both parties are voluntarily committing to put an end to any ongoing legal disputes.
Who sits on the board of directors for the PGA Tour?
The PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, will continue to play a significant role following the merger. Ed Herlihy is the co-chair of the board of directors and the chairman of the 2023 PGA Tour policy board. The senior managing principle and vice chair of this year's board of directors is Jimmy Dunne. But after the merger, the new organization's board will have a slightly different appearance.
PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan will serve as chairman, according to the press statement. Al-Rumayyan will also become a member of the executive committee of the board of directors as well as the policy board of the PGA Tour. The CEO of the board of directors will be Monahan.
9/11 families organisation criticises the PGA Tour for merging with LIV Golf, calling it "paid Saudi shills."
The PGA Tour and its commissioner, Jay Monahan, have come under fire from a group that represents the families of 9/11 victims for their decision to merge with Saudi-funded LIV Golf on Tuesday. The group called them hypocrites who have turned into "paid Saudi shills."
9/11 Families United claimed it was "shocked and deeply offended" by the revelation of the merger, which will see the PGA, LIV Golf, and DP World Tour all functioning under a one business banner and being supported by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The statement was released Tuesday afternoon. Terry Strada, the chair of 9/11 Families United, claimed that she and the other members of the group felt "betrayed" by both Monahan and the PGA Tour.Mr. Monahan spoke about knowing folks who had lost family ones in the 9/11 attacks last summer. He then questioned aloud on national television whether LIV Golfers ever had to apologise for being a PGA Tour member. He, too, does it right now, according to them, said Strada, whose husband Tom perished in the World Trade Centre.
"PGA Tour executives should be ashamed of their selfishness and hypocrisy. As it seems their care for our loved ones was only window-dressing in their pursuit of money — it was never to honour the wonderful game of golf – Commissioner Monahan and the PGA have betrayed our whole 9/11 community. Toby Schad.
The White House will not participate in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf collaboration.
The White House decided not to comment when reporters at a conference inquired about the pact in light of Saudi Arabia's human rights record as news of the PGA Tour's merger with LIV Golf spread.
In a briefing on Tuesday, White House spokesperson John Kirby said, "I have no comment on it. [Joey Garrison]
The current standings and top players on each tour are shown as the PGA Tour and LIV announce their merger. LIV golfers Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Phil Mickelson have been difficult to miss near the top of major tournament leaderboards this year, especially after Koepka won his fifth major at the PGA Championship.
But what about all the other golfers who recently switched from the PGA to the LIV Golf circuit, which is sponsored by Saudi Arabia?
Here is a list of the top 52 players on each tour in 2023, following the stunning revelation of the merging of the two tours' commercial operations on Tuesday morning. James Sergent
Watch 'Full Swing' Season 2 now.
The cameras were rolling when word of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf agreement reached them, according to a producer on the Netflix docuseries "Full Swing," which follows the lives of numerous men's professional golfers.
Producer Chad Mumm tweeted on Tuesday, "You better believe we were filming when this broke."
In 2024, Season 2 premieres.
Golfers on the PGA Tour disappointed that they were unaware of the partnership with LIV Golf in advance
The PGA Tour-LIV Golf agreement startled the golf community, and it appears that the players on the tours felt the same way.
The LIV Golf Invitational Series has drawn criticism from the PGA Tour and its players, in part because it is entirely funded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the Saudi government's sovereign wealth investment fund, which has been charged with a variety of human rights violations, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances, and inhumane treatment of prisoners.When the arrangement was revealed, PGA Tour golfers expressed their displeasure on Twitter over how they learned about it, with several claiming to have done so via social media. — Toby Mendoza.
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