Does the PGA Tour really need to merge with LIV Golf? This question has been raised time and again by many in the golf community. There is a common belief that the PGA Tour is self-sustainable. That’s not the case with LIV Golf. As much success as the PIF-funded league has found, it’s still far from breaking even. The PIF has invested $5 billion in 3 years to make it work. That is the only reason LIV Golf can be sustained. Without the money, the league will not be able to host events, nor will the players choose to stay there without the lucrative salaries. An analyst even pointed out how LIV Golf is not worth the valuation the PGA Tour has given them.
Hence, many fans and players are against the idea of the merger. In fact, one of the biggest stars on the Tour, Rory McIlroy himself, said, “I don’t think the PGA Tour needs a deal.” More recently, another voice of the Tour shared the same opinion as McIlroy. However, they gave a more elaborate and honest overview of the entire situation. The person in question is PGA Tour legend Lee Trevino.
Supermex joined the crew of The Golf Channel for an interview during THE PLAYERS Championship 2025. That’s when he started pointing out the positives about the PGA Tour; “Golf is in a hell of a position right now. It is great!” Continuing to acknowledge the Tour’s success, he added, “Our attendance is up. Our ratings are up. The people are loving it. The players are playing faster.” Trevino explained how every golfer on a field is popular enough that the broadcast team doesn’t need to stick to a few players to grab the attention of the fans. He also started expressing how the pace of play is also really good at the moment.
Trevino further added how the PGA Tour is also getting a lot of investment from the sponsors. He explained that being an outsider, he can see that LIV Golf “is dead. The other side is gone.” The veteran golfer seems to believe that LIV Golf has no shot at competing with the PGA Tour. There might be some truth to it, as the Saudi-based league has suffered from terrible TV ratings and viewership in 2025. LIV Golf Riyadh was the worst of the bunch, averaging only around 70,000 viewers on Sunday.
Trevino has always been known for being outspoken about anything related to golf. His rift with Phil Mickelson is a great example of how Trevino doesn’t shy away from confrontation. The 54-year-old questioned Tom Watson about using his methods in the Ryder Cup. To this, Trevino replied, “If I had a losing record in the Ryder Cup, I’d keep my mouth shut.” For context, despite making the most Ryder Cup appearances, Mickelson has an 18-22 win-loss record with 7 halves. That’s less than 50% of win rate in 47 matches played. Just goes to show how he doesn’t mince his words when confronting someone. And he was just as blunt when he talked about the PGA Tour’s status as compared to LIV Golf.
Dec 16, 2023; Orlando, Florida, USA; Lee Trevino walks onto the third green during the PNC Championship at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Going back to Rory McIlroy‘s statement, do Jay Monahan & Co. really need to merge with the PIF-funded league? It’s not like Phil Mickelson is also too eager about the PIF-PGA Tour merger as well. At least not right now. Let’s see how the LIV Golf pro has indicated that.
Phil Mickelson’s loyalty towards LIV Golf
Time and again, Phil Mickelson has been the biggest supporter of LIV Golf. He has consistently promoted the Saudi-based league through various modes. Whether he is pitching to a brand, filming a YouTube video, or just tweeting, Mickelson has been constantly pushing LIV Golf every opportunity he gets.
When it comes to the merger, Mickelson has been heard saying, “I don’t know if it’s necessary.” This was in 2024. However, Lefty has since changed his tune, stating that “We are three or four years in, but it’s going to take a little while for this partnership to work out. It has taken them a long time to come to an agreement, and I think it will take years for this to play out. When all is said and done, I think golf is going to be in a way better place.”
As per the HyFlyers GC player, the merger is still a few years away from completion. He might not be wrong considering how Yasir Al-Rumayyan has reacted to his most recent meeting with Jay Monahan & President Trump at the White House. But, at the end of the day, Phil Mickelson now seems more in favor of the PIF-PGA Tour merger than he was before.
Do you think that the PGA Tour needs to merge with PIF? Share your views in the comments section.
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