It seems like we’re never going to reach a conclusion when it comes to the state of golf as the situation with LIV Golf and the PGA Tour seems never ending.
Jay Monahan has so far failed to agree a deal with the PIF and LIV for the PGA Tour and it’s widely expected that the two tours will continue separately for now.
Indeed, it’s even been suggested that Greg Norman being moved on from his role at LIV could be one of the final hurdles to clear in terms of a deal.
Of course, we have to remember that the DP World Tour is also involved and right now, we’re seeing LIV players like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton compete on the DP tour in order to keep their cards and hopes of Ryder Cup qualification.
And according to DP World Tour communications officer Daniel van Otterdijk, golf could end up following the path of other sports with its players in the future.
Golf tipped to follow cricket as LIV Golf and PGA Tour struggle to make deal
Speaking to Gulf News about the future of golf, Otterdijk admitted that he sees similarities to the game of cricket in how things might pan out.
“The way that it will go, as far as we can see if you look at cricket as a model. Cricketers these days can play in franchise leagues around the world – the IPL, the Big Bash – whatever it is. It’s kind of like a smorgasbord of cricket they can play in,” Otterdijk said.
“The top players, like Joe Root, Kane Williamson, or Virat Kohli, will say, ‘Look, I’m in my 30s, I’ve made X amount of money, I’m now going to play the elite tournaments’… I can see an end-to-end calendar from January to December, where there’s a prominent place for the PGA Tour, a prominent place for LIV Golf, and a prominent place for the DP World Tour.
“We’re confident that within the next six months, they’ll come up with a structure that befits world golf in a much better way than what we currently have. But of course, there are legacy issues to sort out.”
Not everyone wants a LIV and PGA deal
While there’s so much talk of it being for the good of the game and bringing the best players back together is what every golf fan wants, not everyone is on the same page.
Just a few weeks back, Thomas Pieters admitted he could quit golf completely if the tours come together and it doesn’t fit in with how he sees his schedule and life.
Of course, Rory McIlroy is constantly asked about it and McIlroy himself has said it would be at least the end of the year before any progress is made.
Whether or not golf goes the way of cricket, remains to be seen. But sooner or later, something has to be done and everyone can move on from the same arguments on a weekly basis.
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