One of the most prevalent questions when the framework agreement between the PGA Tour and the PIF was announced was, quite simply, what does this actually mean for the game of golf?
In an era where golf fans have learned to expect the unexpected, the most shocking news came in June 2023 when the PGA Tour and LIV Golf seemed to take a giant step towards unification with the announcement of the framework agreement.
There was, understandably, a lot of anger, particularly from the PGA Tour side. Those who had remained loyal to the tour were entitled to wonder why they did not just take the money from LIV if they were going to be allowed to return anyway.
But the agreement was important in marking the start of the healing process. Obviously, there still remains a large question mark over how the golfing landscape will look once a deal is done.
Bubba Watson attempted to play in a PGA Tour event after the framework agreement was announced
Interestingly, some LIV players are not plotting PGA Tour returns. They would apparently want to be paid before jumping back.
However, that is not the case for everyone involved on the LIV side. In fact, one player was targeting a PGA Tour return as soon as the framework agreement was announced.
Speaking on the Fore Play Podcast in 2023, Bubba Watson claimed that he was keen to see whether he could make an immediate return to play on the PGA Tour.
“I’m just like everybody else, I had no idea. I didn’t know who was talking, I had no clue at all. I just focus on my team and doing stuff. But the first thoughts that hit me are how do you merge it, right? Because I know what we’ve talked about in our meetings that LIV’s not going away. LIV is the baby, LIV is not going away. But the PGA Tour can’t go away, the DP World Tour can’t go away, the Asian Tour can’t go away, all these tours can’t go away,” he said.
“When they announced it, that same day, I remember, I called Nathan from Travelers, he’s the company director. I said, ‘can I play Travelers? They just announced this thing, is it too soon?’ It was two weeks away. And he called. He called the tour and my agent called the tour, and they were like, ‘you know you cannot play’.”
How Bubba Watson has performed since joining LIV Golf
Watson was one of the most notable names to make the jump from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. He is someone fans will flock to watch, almost regardless of the form he is in.
Unfortunately, he has not had the best time since moving to LIV. He finished 36th in the individual standings in 2023, while he had to make a business case to keep his place for 2025 after finishing in the relegation zone in 2024.
He is off to a promising start this year, scoring points in both Riyadh and Adelaide.
And perhaps it may not be too long before he gets the opportunity to appear on the PGA Tour again.
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