Negotiations between the PGA Tour and the Arab Super League are coming to life to try to create a global circuit and put an end to a clash, including an economic one, that has divided the world of golf. The commissioner of the top American men’s circuit, Jay Monahan, is in Saudi Arabia to meet Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the Public Investment Fund and president of Saudi Aramco and Newcastle United.
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The objective is to put an end to a division that has lasted for over two years. From Tiger Woods to Rory McIlroy, even the main opponents of the breakaway green league are now hoping for an inter-circuit agreement. The Northern Irishman McIlroy, world number 2, from the United Arab Emirates (where he is playing the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Rolex Series tournament of the DP World Tour) made the proposal. “I would like a Champions League format competition, with the best 70-80 golfers in the world competing and then other tours where the talents of tomorrow can emerge.”
In 2019, the golf world witnessed the emergence of a new golf tour aimed at challenging the dominance of the PGA Tour. This new league was introduced as the Premier Golf League. In response, Jay Monahan, the Commissioner of the PGA Tour, hinted that golfers who opted to participate in this new league might be prohibited from PGA Tour events.
As the golf landscape continued to evolve, 2020 saw a significant development when the PGA European Tour and the PGA Tour formed a “strategic alliance.” This partnership aimed to collaborate on various aspects, including commercial opportunities, scheduling, and prize funds for the members of each tour.
Meanwhile, the Premier Golf League engaged in discussions with Saudi investors regarding a financial partnership. However, Golf Saudi, a division of the Public Investment Fund, chose a different path in 2020 by funding a new venture with its own vision for establishing a global professional league, often referred to as the “Super Golf League.” This entity officially launched in October 2021 under the name LIV Golf Investments, with former professional golfer Greg Norman assuming the role of CEO.
LIV Golf Investments has been frequently compared to the European Super League in football, as it represents a significant breakaway movement within the golfing world.
In July 2022, LIV Golf formally initiated the process of being included in the Official World Golf Ranking, a procedure that typically takes one to two years from application submission to approval and the allocation of OWGR points. In October 2022, LIV Golf established a “strategic alliance” with the MENA Tour. This arrangement was designed to provide LIV Golf events with ranking points immediately. However, it was later clarified that events in 2022 would not receive points, as changes to the MENA Tour needed to be reviewed first.
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