LIV golf to poach Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods? Saudi power over the PGA Tour explained
A new development in the agreement between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf does little to reassure fans about the future of stars like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods are free to ditch the PGA tour for LIV golf without penalty after a clause in the framework agreement between the two tours was removed. The world of men’s elite golf was rocked to its core last month when it was announced that the waring golf tours were prepared to settle their differences by forming one single entity with the DP World Tour in a wholly unexpected merger.
Saudi-backed LIV golf caused an uproar when it managed to successfully lure some of the biggest names in golf away from the leading PGA tour by offering huge signing-on fees running into millions as well as guaranteed prize money on the new breakaway tour.
Huge stars like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith and Phil Mikelson all made the switch, alongside several other players including Brits Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter as well as big-hitting American Bryson DeChambeau.
Woods and McIlroy remained loyal with the Northern Irishman effectively becoming the face of the PGA in opposition to the rebel tour that is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Private Investment Fund (PIF). But their decision to turn down the offer of millions of pounds appeared to be a foolish one when it emerged that the bitter rival tours were now prepared to work with each other.
