The kingpins from all three sides of golf’s civil war are reportedly set to come together at St Andrews this week in what could prove a pivotal moment for the sport’s future.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan – the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV Golf – are expected to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, according to The Telegraph.
More than a dozen rebels – including Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Tyrrell Hatton – are also set to tee it up alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy in the DP World Tour event that sees amateurs taking on professionals.
DP chief executive Guy Kinnings will be at St Andrews, too, alongside his influential chairman, Eric Nicoli.
It would mark the first time since LIV Golf disrupted golf’s old order that the bosses of all three tours will be pictured in the same place at the same time.
PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan (L) and LIV Golf boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan (R) are both set to play in Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
The sport has faced an uncertain future ever since Saudi Arabia first threatened the dominance of the PGA and DP World Tours.
Last June, they announced a ‘framework agreement’ for a shock merger. Since then, talks have dragged on over a deal that would reportedly see the PIF inject more than $1billion into PGA Tour Enterprises.
According to The Telegraph, this week’s event is proof that – should no deal be reached involving the PGA Tour – then the DP World Tour could join forces with LIV Golf.
‘If things don’t materialize with the PGA Tour, I think it would maybe bring the European Tour [sic] back to the 1980s and 1990s when there really was two strong tours,’ McIlroy aid.
‘And, selfishly as a European, it would be wonderful to get that investment and to use that money in the right way for this tour – but it would still keep the game divided. However, it would be plan B to the best solution.’
Rory McIlroy will play against Jon Rahm and several other LIV Golf rebels in Scotland
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