There was little doubt that the PGA Tour and LIV Golf would go in separate directions in 2025. Jay Monahan clarified that the deal with PIF, LIV Golf’s financial backer, will take time. But perhaps very few expected Greg Norman would decide to take the PGA Tour head-on. The Saudi-backed side released the early schedule for next year, and a few events clash with the PGA Tour schedule. Except that they are not just any other events; they are PGA Tour mainstays and some of the biggest events on the calendar.

The LIV Riyadh will be in the same week as the WM Phoenix Open (Feb 6-8), whereas Adelaide will start a week later. That again clashes with the Genesis Invitational, the Tiger Woods-hosted signature event (Feb. 14-16). Next, the LIV Golf Hong Kong will be hosted on March 7-9, which is Arnold Palmer Invitational week, another signature event. Meanwhile, the LIV Golf Singapore will be played in the same week as THE PLAYERS (March 14-16).

“As we set our sights on 2025, LIV Golf is gearing up for our most ambitious season start, to date,” LIV Golf CEO, Greg Norman said in the official statement. This comes just days after Norman trumpeted LIV’s achievements on a lengthy Instagram post. 

Among many things, the Great White Shark claimed that LIV has lowered the viewer’s demographic below 45 years from 67½. LIV has also opened up new global markets and brought entertainment to a ‘tired, monotonous sport culture’.

Regardless, it’s a bold move on Greg Norman’s part. LIV, despite Norman’s claims, has struggled to build a niche audience base. Recently, a playoff between Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka received fewer eyeballs than a pickleball event on linear TV. Barring the success of Adelaide, London, and Nashville, the ‘untapped global markets’ are yet to pay dividends.

In this context, LIV Golf will now directly compete with some of the established and biggest PGA Tour events next year. It quite fits with Norman’s move to host the Las Vegas event with the Super Bowl, hoping to piggyback on the Super Bowl hype to draw more attendees to its tournament. That didn’t pay off, however. It remains to be seen if this one will. 

But if anything, this makes it clear that the competition between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is far from over. It’s a strange situation where two entities are vying for the same spot and yet are locked into a future agreement. What does it spell for the future?

Is this a sign of a failure of PGA Tour – LIV Golf merger diplomacy?

So, the fact is LIV is upping the ante. Does that mean that the merger talks are failing? Rory McIlroy sounded an alarm bell that if the slow pace continues, PIF might look for a different partner. There is no certainty of who that partner might be. Moreover, the Ulsterman, a non-voting member of the Transaction Committee, revealed the deal is getting pushed because of a few people.

Again, who that person might be is open to speculation. However, what doesn’t need any speculation is that there are some disagreements inside the PGA Tour. Unsurprisingly, not everyone is enamored by the idea of welcoming LIV Golfers back with open arms. So, in that case, as long as the PGA Tour and PIF are not reaching a consensus, there will be no end in sight.

Precisely what Jay Monahan’s comments hinted at. While lauding the board members for their effort, Monahan cautioned, “At the same time, these conversations are complex, they’re going to take time. They have taken time and they will continue to take time.” 

So, diplomacy hasn’t come to a cropper. At the same time, there is no denying that as long as the merger talk continues, LIV will continue to exert pressure on the Tour, in one way or another. Will there be more defections? That’s one question that is surely making the rounds in different quarters now. But the answer won’t come at least until November.