As we all know, Greg Norman recently stepped down as commissioner and CEO of LIV Golf, a position he held since the league’s inception in 2021, and was replaced by Scott O’Neil. Commenting on the move, Rory McIlroy stated that Norman’s departure is “probably a good move,” but Norman himself seems eager to put the past behind him, particularly his public spat with McIlroy and Tiger Woods, saying he’d prefer to move on from the controversy but does the controversy wants to move on from him? Not, so much.

Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get any more dramatic, a well-respected golf insider piped up with a refreshingly honest take on the whole situation. But be warned, their assessment of the PGA Tour might just leave you speechless.

In the latest YouTube episode, Seth Waugh, former CEO of the PGA of America, shared his candid thoughts on the state of golf, sparking a lively discussion with host Gary Williams. One of the most striking comments Waugh made was his assessment of the PGA Tour, calling it a “lessened product” due to the ongoing rift with LIV Golf. He also didn’t mince words when describing LIV Golf, labeling it a “failed economic experiment”, a bold statement that underscores the challenges both organizations face.

The golf world is on edge for a long time now as it waits for a resolution between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf but it seems that Waugh is hopeful that a deal can be struck. “I’m very hopeful that there will be a deal here… I think I’m more hopeful now than I have been,” he says. The prolonged conflict has taken a toll on both sides. Waugh acknowledges that “There’s some scorched earth and loss of fandom… people just turning off the set, which is not great.”

Waugh believes “both sides need a deal” to survive as the PGA Tour’s revenue and viewership are down, while LIV Golf is struggling. Waugh calls it “kind of a failed economic experiment, right?” He also notes that “the tour has a lessened product, and I think they’re losing some fans… sponsors are nervous, are they going to pay more for something less?” A merger seems like the best option for both parties.

The question now is what that deal will look like and what’s the latest update on the matter.

PGA Tour and LIV Golf are still ironing out the details

The rumored merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf isn’t quite a done deal just yet. Despite a report from The Sun just days ago claiming that the two golf giants had finally put their differences aside, insiders are saying that there’s still plenty of work to be done before the ink can dry on any agreement. It seems that several major details, including the rather sticky issue of antitrust concerns in the United States, still need to be hashed out. The PGA Tour and LIV Golf first announced their surprise merger back in June 2023, with a lofty goal of finalizing the deal by December 31, 2023, which was a deadline that, as we now know, came and went without a resolution.

Despite the holdup, sources say there’s “heavy internal pressure” to get the merger finalized before the end of 2024 – if only to make scheduling easier for the future. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan is still meeting with Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan to iron out the details, and while The Sun’s report had claimed that the deal would give PIF an 11 percent stake in the PGA Tour and that LIV’s team events would be absorbed into the PGA umbrella, it seems that golf fans will just have to keep waiting for the final whistle.