There is a huge disparity among the top players on the PGA Tour.
At Pebble Beach last week, Rory McIlroy called for unity amid today’s great division in golf, saying LIV golfers should “come back” if they are still eligible for the PGA Tour.
Justin Thomas, on the other hand, disagrees.
“I think there are some players on LIV that will make the PGA Tour a better place, but I definitely don’t agree that they should be able to come back that easily,” Thomas said prior to Tuesday’s WM. Ta. Phoenix Open.
“I think there’s a scenario somewhere, whatever it is, that some of us are going to come back in some form, but we don’t know when that is and what that is.”
Ever since the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), beneficiary of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, signed a framework agreement last June, the big question in professional golf has been: What will unity look like? Will it happen?”
No one knows the answers, and no one knows how the agreement between the PIF, PGA Tour and DP World Tour will shape up. It could all fall apart, especially now that the PGA Tour is receiving his $3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group.
No matter what happens, McIlroy still has dreams.
He made his call for the World Tour at last month’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic. In his mind, top players were to travel across the world to play marquee courses in front of fans that are often ignored on the PGA Tour.
“whether [events] I don’t care if I rotate to a new world circuit or do the same circuit every year,” McIlroy said in January.
“The Australian Open, for example, should be almost the fifth major tournament. The market there is huge with potential. They love golf. They love the sport. They’re at the top level. I’m hungry for golf. And the course is also very good…
“I would also like to consider the South African Open. Then there are places like Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. I wonder what kind of market Japan represents. That will be another opportunity…I would like to consider four major tournaments. If we put them in, we’ll have a great schedule, top 70 to 100, whatever the numbers are.”
Interestingly, since its founding in 2022, LIV Golf has held events in Australia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Middle East. The Saudi-backed circuit prides itself on being a global tour that caters to fans around the world.
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But settling between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour is not as simple as creating a global tour. Dozens of his LIV players received millions of dollars from his PIF. Some sued the tour, while others made derogatory comments about PGA Tour players and brass.
“I think there are many of us who have made sacrifices and sacrificed very much, whether or not we have been true to our words and beliefs, or just not made that decision.” I understand that things are changing and things are getting better, but it’s just going to be tough for me. [players returning]” Thomas added on Tuesday.
“A lot of people are going to have a hard time with this, and I shouldn’t have to convince you why we have a hard time.”
In fact, there is no doubt that opinions are divided even among top players. Heck, Jordan Spieth called McIlroy last week to discuss their disagreement. Spieth went so far as to say that an agreement with PIF was “not necessary.”
Nevertheless, if the PGA Tour wants to sign a contract with PIF, all of its members must be on the same page.
There’s a fine line between McIlroy and Thomas, two of the most popular players on tour, right now, and I’m sure other top players feel differently about the matter.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.
