Remember that awkward school dance where two people circled the floor but never actually danced together? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf negotiations. Despite multiple meetings at the White House with President Donald Trump playing matchmaker, the music seems to be fading. So, what’s changed? Just a month ago at Torrey Pines, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan sounded confident about an imminent deal.
Yet, the once-promising framework agreement announced in June 2023 has evolved into what golf insiders call a “stupid game of chicken.” Even Tiger Woods echoed this sentiment during a CBS broadcast. Yet, after a February 20th White House meeting with Yasir al-Rumayyan, the Governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), something clearly went sideways.
Why Jay Monahan’s merger talks have stalled
Golf insiders on the March 13 Golf Channel Podcast with Rex & Lav didn’t mince words about Monahan’s recent Players Championship press conference. “The tone coming from the tour, which is the only side we’re getting in all of this has changed dramatically since the first White House meeting last month,” they revealed.
Moreover, they pointed out a telling moment when Jay Monahan said, “The president of the United States wants a reunification of the game, the PGA Tour wants a reunification of the game“—noticeably leaving out the PIF from this statement.
The biggest sticking point? Team golf.
PGA, Golf Herren THE PLAYERS Championship – press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz March 13, 2020 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan talks about the decision to cancel the last three days of The Players Championship because of the coronavirus during a press conference Friday, March 13, 2020 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Ponte Vedra Beach Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xWillxDickeyx 14177736
The podcast hosts explained, “This is about team Golf, and from the tourist perspective, they’re not 100% sure they can make team golf profitable.” Additionally, Monahan himself reinforced this during his press conference, describing the essence of the PGA Tour as “72-hole stroke play tournaments at iconic venues with meaning”—a direct contradiction to LIV’s 54-hole team format.
Even PGA Tour player Adam Scott confirmed the impasse, “The biggest hangup is in how we see the highest level of competitive golf going forward.” Furthermore, the Tour appears to be preparing for a no-deal scenario, with Monahan emphasizing they “will not do so in a way that diminishes the strength of our platform.”
But how did we get here in the first place? Let’s look at this tumultuous relationship that has kept the golf fraternity on edge for nearly three years.
The rocky road: A timeline of failed promises
The relationship between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has been tumultuous since its inception. It began with hostility on June 9, 2022, when Jay Monahan suspended all players participating in the inaugural LIV event. Then came the shocking June 2023 framework agreement announcement that promised a resolution by December 31, 2023—a deadline that came and went.
Negotiations continued to sputter throughout 2024. Jon Rahm‘s defection to LIV in December 2023 added further complications. By early 2025, President Trump had become actively involved in hosting meetings at the White House. Despite this high-level intervention, the gap only seems to have widened.
Rory McIlroy, once LIV’s strongest critic, who famously said he’d retire before joining the Saudi-backed circuit, has made another surprising pivot. “I don’t think the PGA Tour needs a deal. I think the momentum is pretty strong,” he stated last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
August 25, 2023, Atlanta, Georgia, USA: Rory Mcllroy chips off the fairway on the 10th hole during the second round of the TOUR Championship East Lake Golf Club. Mcllroy is seventh Friday at 10-under. Atlanta USA – ZUMAc170 20230825_znp_c170_040 Copyright: xAndrewxClarkx
This marks a dramatic shift from just a month ago, when in early February 2025, McIlroy had softened his stance, saying “reunification is the best thing for everyone” and that people should “get over it” if their “feelings hurt because guys went to LIV Golf.”
His journey from fierce critic to brief peacemaker and now back to suggesting the Tour can thrive independently shows how fluid the situation remains. Meanwhile, player fatigue grows, with Justin Thomas expressing being “past the level of exhaustion” with the situation.
The stakes remain high for both sides. The PGA Tour and Jay Monahan has secured a $1.5 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group, while LIV has already poured $5 billion into its operation. Yet fans overwhelmingly want reunification, with 70% supporting it in a recent PGA Tour survey.
Will golf’s power struggle ever end? Only time will tell, but as one podcast host bluntly put it, “Everyone needs to get their wrap their mind around the idea that there might not be a deal.”
What do you think this means for the future of professional golf? Let us know in the comment section below!
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