The PGA Tour and LIV Golf debacle is seemingly never-ending. The rival leagues have fallen out and re-entered discussions several times.
The two sides reportedly agreed on the framework of a merger back in 2023, but the deal has still not been finalized, with many wondering if it ever will.
Even the players have different opinions on whether an agreement should be reached. Billy Horschel wants to see the LIV stars return, and Lucas Glover does not.
ESPN TV personality Jay Bilas has now weighed in on the debate, suggesting that the onus is on the PGA Tour to make amends.
- READ MORE: The obvious reason why Lucas Glover said he didn’t want LIV players to return to the PGA Tour
Jay Bilas defends LIV Golf and questions PGA Tour stance
Bilas first admitted that he “didn’t understand” why the PGA Tour were apparently so concerned by the arrival of LIV Golf.
The PGA Tour product was always going to remain strong, and the major championships in particular were never going to be too harshly affected.
“When this first started, and LIV became a threat to the PGA Tour, my feeling was, ‘What are you fighting about?’ If there is too much money to turn down, they’re going to go,” Bilas said.
“The issue for golf is, especially in the majors, but also PGA Tour membership, if they play in enough events, who cares what they do with their other time?
“I didn’t feel like the Masters was going to tell so many former champions they couldn’t play. You can’t really call yourself an ‘open’ if it’s not open to everybody. What’s the holdup here?
“So, on one hand, you had people saying, ‘LIV is never going to get off the ground. It’s not going to be a threat.’ And then it was treated like an existential threat. So, I didn’t understand why they wanted to fight over it.”
Bilas then defended the LIV golfers who departed the PGA Tour, describing the move as a “rational business decision.”
He also thinks the Tour are still bitter about what has transpired in the last few years and need to let it go for the good of the game.
“How long are we going to hold a grudge on this thing? People made their decisions,” Bilas continued. “They were rational business decisions.
“You may not agree with it. You may think about loyalty, all that… there are a lot of reasons to feel a certain way, but to me, this doesn’t add anything good to the game. Bring everybody back into the fold. Golf fans want to see the best golfers play.”
Jay Bilas says whether he watches LIV Golf events
Despite his defense of the league, Bilas told 5 Clubs’ Gary Williams that he rarely watches LIV Golf events.
Of course, the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Joaquin Niemann are exciting to watch, but most people agree the tournaments lack meaning.
“If you ask me, ‘Do I watch LIV?’ The answer is no because I don’t get it,” Bilas added. “I have watched it a little bit, but I don’t know when the events are.
“I don’t know what they mean. It looks like a financial channel with all the stuff going on the screen. It just doesn’t move me.”
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
