It definitely did appear that the 2025 season was a statement of intent from the PGA Tour as they seemingly proved that they can thrive without a merger with LIV Golf.
Heading into 2025, it seemed to be a matter of time before a deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia was struck, particularly with President Trump keen to get involved with talks.
In February, Tiger Woods suggested a merger was imminent. However, it now appears that talks between the PGA Tour and the owners of LIV Golf have stalled altogether.
And in truth, the PGA Tour seems to have proved a real point since.
The PGA Tour has been fortunate as they prepare for life after Tiger Woods
With Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy enjoying hugely significant seasons, there were a number of storylines that ensured that fans remained invested throughout the year.
Who is the better player: Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler?
It was also important because Tiger Woods did not play in a single tournament in 2025.
And speaking on Straight Facts Homie, Notah Begay III suggested that the tour has been extremely fortunate that they have the players to kick on now that Woods’ days of playing anything like a full schedule are over.
“I think it was a paramount season for the PGA Tour for a number of reasons. Number one – it clearly established itself as the premier collection of golf talent in the world, regardless of name recognition, regardless of pedigree, in the sense that some of the players that defected to LIV did take quite a bit of championships and majors. But I think what the general public and the golf fan did establish is they want to see golf that matters,” he said.
“They want to see golf that, in certain cases, helps change lives. People are legitimately crying on the 18th green because it’s something that they’ve envisioned since they were 10 years old. And then, the second part of that is it was great to establish the tour’s identity without Tiger. That’s a huge thing.
“There’s life before Tiger, there’s life with Tiger, and then unfortunately, the tour didn’t do a great job of planning for life after Tiger. But luckily, things worked out where the players and the results and everybody that makes up the body of what the tour represents as a product is greatly valued in the marketplace.”
The golfers who may soon become a dying breed on the PGA Tour
While the PGA Tour does not appear to need a deal with LIV Golf, there is no question that the formation of the breakaway league has forced the tour’s hand in a number of ways.
There is also a feeling that the appointment of Brian Rolapp as the new CEO will usher in an exciting new era for the PGA Tour.
Not everyone is in favour of the changes which are coming to the tour, including the number of players automatically keeping their full cards each year dropping to 100 from this season.
And Begay III admitted, as he assessed Rolapp’s task, that there is one type of golfer which is likely to fall by the wayside in the coming years.
“I think he should do what he’s good at, and I think he’s going to bring the game of golf into the modern era, in terms of business. Assigning quantitative values to our assets and really getting a better understanding of what various revenue streams are important, where there’s opportunity, what we have to maintain, what we can capture, to make the tour overall more efficient and effective as an economic engine in the modern sports era,” he said.
“There’s so much competition out there from different leagues trying to take people’s eyeballs away from TV screens, and people’s attention spans have gotten shorter. And so, we’ve got to do a better job of making sure that our stars show up as often as possible. And I think he’s going to do a good job with that.
“Now that being said, I think the journeymen, the journey’s over. I think their time is done. And that’s unfortunate, because the tour’s always been great about providing opportunities for numbers 100 to 150 on the money list.
“But I think that’s no longer going to be the case, because with 100 tour cards out there, with the number of signature events that are out there, breaking into the top 100 is going to be an extremely difficult proposition. And with the 20 cards coming off the Korn Ferry Tour, it’s going to make it even harder because now you’re adding younger, hungrier, to a certain degree better, players into an equation.”
It is now imperative that players trying to reach the PGA Tour can make a livelihood, particularly on the Korn Ferry Tour.
If that is the case, then the PGA Tour can become more ruthless while also leaving pathways open for the best players elsewhere to try and make their way.
But it is vitally important, now that the PGA Tour has so much momentum, that they do not close the door on those looking to become the superstars of tomorrow.
Otherwise, they could have exactly the same problem when the biggest names right now reach the end of their time at the top.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
