LIV Golf merger with PGA Tour mapped out as promising new hint dropped

The PGA Tour and LIV Golf are understood to beryllium continuing negotiations connected a imaginable bid deal, with DP World main Daniel van Otterdijk offering a mentation connected however it could work

DP World's Group Chief Communications Officer Daniel van Otterdijk has weighed successful connected the ongoing negotiations betwixt the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) - hinting astatine what the aboriginal of golf could look like.

The PGA Tour, which is successful struggle with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, seemed to widen an olive subdivision past June by announcing a model statement with PIF. But 16 months later, players and fans are inactive near guessing astir the sport's direction.

Initially, determination was buzz astir a imaginable merger, suggesting a unified level allowing players to enactment crossed some tours. As discussions person progressed, it present seems much apt that the PGA Tour and LIV volition stay chiseled entities but whitethorn connection players greater flexibility successful their schedules.

• PGA Tour dealt yet different stroke arsenic caller dawn with Saudi chiefs beckons with LIV Golf merger
• Scottie Scheffler improbable to amusement immoderate sympathy for LIV Golf prima facing axe

Drawing parallels with cricket, wherever players prosecute successful assorted leagues passim the twelvemonth successful countries similar India, England, and Australia, Otterdijk suggests play mightiness follow a akin approach, with players rotating betwixt the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV.

"The mode that it volition go, arsenic acold arsenic we tin spot if you look astatine cricket arsenic a model," helium told Gulf News. "Cricketers these days tin play successful franchise leagues astir the world - the IPL, the Big Bash - immoderate it is. It's benignant of similar a smorgasbord of cricket they tin play in.

"The apical players, similar Joe Root, Kane Williamson, oregon Virat Kohli, volition say, 'Look, I'm successful my 30s, I've made X magnitude of money, I'm present going to play the elite tournaments'... I tin spot an end-to-end calendar from January to December, wherever there's a salient spot for the PGA Tour, a salient spot for LIV Golf, and a salient spot for the DP World Tour."

Otterdijk besides expressed his content that "there volition beryllium overlaps" but remained assured that determination volition beryllium a "fantastic buffet of play passim the twelvemonth successful antithetic places astir the world". He besides hinted astatine a imaginable clip frame, suggesting a woody could beryllium finalised wrong the adjacent six months.

"We're assured that wrong the adjacent six months, they'll travel up with a operation that befits satellite play successful a overmuch amended mode than what we presently have," helium added. "But of course, determination are bequest issues to benignant out."

Earlier this month, cardinal figures successful the talks, Jay Monahan of the PGA Tour and Yasir Al-Rumayyan of LIV, met publically for the archetypal clip astatine the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship successful Scotland.