Smylie Kaufman explains what he really doesn’t like as the DP World Tour open talks over merger with LIV Golf

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The PGA Tour and LIV Golf are yet to agree on a merger, with the latter now taking matters into their own hands with the DP World Tour.

Big players could leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf this week, which is a very worrying scenario for the former.

Having signed a framework agreement last summer to form an alliance, there has been very little breakthrough between the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the PIF, which funds LIV Golf.

But LIV Golf is now close to a deal with the DP World Tour, with their 2025 calendars favouring the idea of players operating across both tours.

Just one of the first five LIV Golf tournaments of 2025 clashes with a DP World Tour event, a stark contrast from four of the first five in 2024.

Smylie Kaufman doesn’t like potential DP World Tour and LIV Golf merger

But the idea of a deal between LIV Golf and the DP World Tour has not been welcomed by Smylie Kaufman, who has been left surprised by the dynamics at play across the tours.

“What I am sitting there looking at this as is that the PGA Tour has a deal with the DP World Tour,” he said on The Smylie Show. “How are they [the DP World Tour] able to talk to the PIF? You would think there would be provisions in the contract that they would not be able to talk to another entity without some form of payment back to the PGA Tour.

READ MORE: DP World Tour player rejects LIV Golf offer as rumours continue over Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia’s new teammates

“I just don’t know how I should feel about the DP World Tour being under the PGA Tour and talking to LIV Golf and potentially making it another avenue for PGA Tour players to go to LIV and be like I can go and play LIV and DP World Tour events. I don’t like the idea of it because it gives more players incentive to go to LIV Golf.”

DP World Tour could get sizeable funds from LIV Golf

A potential merger between the DP World Tour and LIV is another remarkable twist in the ongoing saga within golf.

The former are supposed partners of the PGA Tour, with Kaufman rightly suggesting that it is bizarre the DP World Tour can conduct LIV meetings with no repercussions.

A solution for all parties involved is, of course, the ideal result, but that looks like taking plenty more time to achieve.

READ MORE: Another mystery PGA Tour player could leave to join LIV Golf in move which would cause real ‘problem’

The DP World Tour could now help bring unity to golf, but the PGA Tour should be eager to be heavily involved.

The latter was close to a $1billion agreement with the PIF, but no official confirmation of such a merger has been made clear.

Funds from the Saudi-backed tour could now head to the DP World Tour, although there should definitely be enough to go around given the vast riches of the PIF.