The golfing landscape could change once more after Donald Trump was elected US President for a second time.
The PGA Tour and the PIF are reportedly close to a £1bn agreement, which would eventually lead to the amalgamation of the world’s best players.
Currently, the likes of Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler only compete against each other in the majors.
Trump is a well-documented lover of the game and owns multiple world-class courses, some of which have hosted LIV Golf events.
The 78-year-old has also supported the idea of the world’s best players reuniting. And now, after his political victory, the PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger could once again be impacted.
How Donald Trump could impact LIV Golf-PGA Tour merger
Journalist Dan Rapaport is usually well informed with all the ongoings within the professional game, and the former Barstool Sports correspondent has confirmed the election result could have a “significant impact” on the PGA-PIF deal.
“Donald Trump’s victory in last night’s election could have a real significant impact on the PGA Tour’s long-rumoured deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund,” Rapaport explained.
“We’ve been hearing all off-season that the two sides are working closer to an investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund into the PGA Tour.”
Rory McIlroy believes Trump could speed up the deal, and Rapaport spoke to The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig, who detailed the critical role the Department of Justice could play in the coming weeks and months.
Donald Trump victory: DOJ influence on LIV-PGA Tour deal
The PGA-PIF deal needs approval from the DOJ, and Herzig revealed that a Trump administration is likely to be more open to green-lighting any potential agreement.
“The DOJ, at the end of the day, is underneath the executive branch of government. There could be a significant difference in how he would act and how involved he would be in the process compared to a Kamala Harris administration, which would, according to a bunch of experts I talked to, would be pretty tough on a merger like this,” Herzig told Rapaport.
“I think it’s clear to say a Trump administration would be more favourable to a PGA/PIF deal, and I’ve spoken to several legal experts who agree on that, and Trump even said it the other day on a podcast.”
All indications now point towards a deal, and President Trump’s election could be the final piece in the puzzle that would allow the reunification of the world’s best golfers.
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