The contentious rise of LIV Golf has split the golf community for years. Although the Saudi-sponsored circuit has hosted events with substantial prize money and drawn well-known competitors, doubts have persisted about its long-term viability and general appeal. With significant roles played by Jay Monahan, Tiger Woods, and President Donald Trump, recent events indicate that the turbulent relationship between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf may be coming to an end. As talks about a possible merger pick up steam, more people are questioning LIV Golf’s feasibility. Is it capable of surviving in this state?

The hosts of the No Laying Up podcast on YouTube, Chris Solomon, Tron Carter, and Shane Bacon, recently discussed the current situation of LIV Golf, with a special emphasis on its Adelaide event. Underscoring the overwhelming local support, Carter commented:

“We have had this conversation year after year, it looks like an unbelievable event. The city of Adelaide completely shows out. I saw it on my Instagram, a bunch of friends, you know, that we’ve met down in Australia going over there, having a great time it looks like an unbelievable event to attend in person.”

“Wish everybody all the best. It seems like something the people of Adelaide really really dig. A very golf-starved part of the world and so happy for them to have an event like this doesn’t seem like the rest of Australia was super into watching it necessarily. … ratings weren’t excellent kind of across the rest of Australia…”

After all, data speaks volumes! Citing relevant audience data, Solomon strengthened his criticism, “It was the 26th most-watched program on Saturday, with 170,000 viewers in Australia… a very small amount of people were watching it on FS2 as well.“ He highlighted the contrast between the lively on-location experience and the dull television viewership, both in the United States and abroad. This definitely raises questions about LIV Golf’s longevity.

But here’s the thing: They had a disappointing debut on FOX Sports in Saudi Arabia previously. But with the second event for 2025, the league was in Adelaide and hence observed a slight uptick in numbers. Nielsen reported that the average viewer count for the first round was much better and stood at 114,000, but still not where one would expect its viewership to be.

LIV Golf is not budging though. Amid all adversities, it declared that it will continue to host the Adelaide event until 2031, with plans for a new course created by Greg Norman. Although this action attempts to leverage Adelaide’s local support, concerns about the league’s viability and popularity on a worldwide scale still exist. “LIV’s got to go away. It’s done. It’s clearly a failure on every level,” Solomon stressed. This opinion reflects a growing consensus that unification under a single tour may be the best course of action for improving professional golf.

To be honest, the golf community agrees: While LIV Golf has brought in new ideas and achieved success locally, it finds it difficult to maintain global involvement. As stakeholders balance the advantages of unity against LIV’s independent aspirations, the ongoing talks over a possible merger with the PGA Tour are making its future even more complicated. As uncertain as LIV golf’s future may be, prominent individuals like Woods and Trump have jumped in to help bring the discussion together.

Top Comment by Melista

The control if there’s a merge has to be in the PGA and R &A still as a governing body...more

Share your take

Debate

Will Donald Trump’s intervention lead to a resolution?

The long-term split between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour has led to high-level action. Recently, President Donald Trump met at the White House with Player Director Adam Scott and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan. With a focus on including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the resolution process, the talks sought to address the lingering conflict and investigate potential paths toward reunion.

Post this, Monahan, Scott, and Tiger Woods released a joint statement, which read: “We know golf fans are eagerly anticipating a resolution to negotiations with the Public Investment Fund and want to thank President Trump for his interest and long-time support of the game of golf.”

“We asked the President to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved. We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”

Tiger Woods later expressed hope about the progress, despite being unable to attend the conference for personal reasons. “I think that things are going to heal quickly. We’re going to get this game going in the right direction,” he said at the Genesis Invitational. Highlighting the fans’ desire to watch elite athletes compete together, he suggested that the objective will be reached within the year.

Given his extensive connections to the golf industry and his prior commercial dealings with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, President Trump’s involvement is a noteworthy step. The ability of his administration to handle the intricate political and economic environments may be essential for mending the rift. According to Woods, “The fans want all the top players playing together, and we’re going to make that happen.”

Even though there are still obstacles to overcome, including antitrust issues and the requirement for agreement from all parties involved, the current discussions show a determined attempt to bring the sport together. Golf fans around the world are still holding out hope that these high-level talks will result in a unified professional circuit and halt the fragmentation that has recently defined the sport. What do you think?