LIV Golf and PGA Tour merger predicted to happen within months with ‘hold up’ set to end

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After 18 months of uncertainty, talks between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund appear to be nearing a conclusion.

Reports from the United Kingdom suggest a $1bn agreement is close, which would end the divide caused by LIV Golf’s emergence in 2022.

Donald Trump’s election as US President is predicted to speed up the process, and Rory McIlroy has backed the 78-year-old to bring the saga to an amicable conclusion.

Trump takes office on January 20, and popular YouTube golfer Peter Finch believes the political shift in the US could lead to a merger within a couple of months.

When PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger could happen

• READ MORE: Ian Poulter says what he now thinks of the PGA Tour as he confirms the true reason he left to join LIV Golf

Speaking on the Rough Cut Podcast, Finch predicted a deal to be ironed out “early” in the new year.

“I think pretty much early in the New Year. You are going to have a new President going into the White House who actively loves golf and is actively having meetings with PGA Tour and LIV executives. He has openly said he will sort the whole thing out in seven minutes or something like that, but in this case, I actually believe him,” Finch explained.

“The whole hold up over the LIV and PGA Tour merger is the US Senate and the lawmakers; he can sort this out with the will if he really, really wants to. I think it will get sorted pretty quickly.”

How Donald Trump could speed up PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger

Trump is a well-known lover of the game, and he has previously spoken of his desire to fast-track a deal; Trump famously said he would reach an agreement in minutes.

However, the Department of Justice’s influence will also play an important part. Under the Trump administration, the DOJ has been predicted to be more amenable to any potential deal.

The Athletic’s Gabby Herzig explains more: “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,” she told journalist, Dan 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.”