The last week of October 2024 will be remembered as the moment that marked the long-awaited turning point in what the Anglo-Saxon media decided to define, from the very beginning, as the “civil war” of professional golf.
PGA Tour, news
It all started with the news, published last Thursday, that Yasir Al-Rumayyan, governor of the PIF, and Jay Monahan, Commissioner of the PGA Tour would take part in the Future Investment Initiative, a conference organized by the PIF that is held annually in Riyadh.
The fact that together with Monahan there was also a representation of members of the PGA Tour (names not known, Editor’s note) was a clear sign that something was about to happen.
The meeting was probably scheduled when Al-Rumayyan and Monahan played golf together in Scotland (the Dunhill Links Championship was the matchmaker…).
The fact is that, according to what was reported by The Sun UK, the die is cast.
The two litigants have reached an agreement that only needs final approval from the respective Boards.
These are the substantial elements:
The Public Investment Fund will pay $1.3 billion, in exchange for which it will receive an 11% stake in the newly formed PGA Tour Enterprises.
The PIF will be assigned two seats (and one will be that of the President) on the PGA Tour Board.
The players who have remained “loyal” to the PGA Tour will receive a “reward” through a special fund that will be guaranteed by the PIF.
The DP World Tour will benefit, indirectly, from the agreement on the basis of the Strategic Alliance that links it to the PGA Tour.
LIV Golf will play the tournaments scheduled for 2025 “under the umbrella” of the PGA Tour.
More, at the moment, is not known.
The rules of golf are relatively complicated compared to other sports because they are played outdoors, close to nature and animals. Respecting the rules is a basic element in the game of golf, which, almost always based on self-control and the free conscience of the players, often sees distorted results, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously or through carelessness, due to the non-observance by many players of the rules of the game. In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct, known as etiquette, which generally means playing the game with due respect for the golf course and other players. Etiquette is an essential component of this sport.