LIV Boss Greg Norman Has One More Clever Trick Up His Sleeves as PGA Tour Seeks Truce Amid $3B Merger Troubles

Just hours after the PGA Tour’s indication of a potential truce with LIV Golf, a major revelation comes to the fore. A PGA Tour insider reportedly claimed that they won’t consider the Promotions event as an unauthorized one. That would open the doors for PGA Tour players to take part in the event and come back to the PGA Tour should they choose to.

So far so good. Whether Jay Monahan is being lenient to his players or underestimates the qualifying event’s appeal is anyone’s guess. But Greg Norman has one card up in his sleeve that might make the Promotions a litmus test of loyalty for PGA Tour players. 

Greg Norman’s masterstroke that no one foresaw

The Promotions event is a qualifier event that allows new players to join the breakaway league. It’s also the tournament where the 2023 drop zone players including Brooks Koepka’s brother Chase Koepka will throw their mantle to come back into the fold once again. 

Interestingly, the Promotions event will have four rounds just like a tour-sanctioned event but in three days. With a total purse of $1.5 million, PIF will offer $200000, $1500000, and $1000000 to the top three players. However, there is something for everyone and the qualifying fee is so low, that will tempt more PGA Tour players to tee it up at the event.

As per Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated, LIV Golf offers a minimum of $5000 for every player to participate in the league’s qualifying event. Comparably, the tournament’s entry fee is a meager $25. Apparently, PIF is keeping the entry fee low to draw in more players from the other PGA Tour-sanctioned events.

The news comes after one PGA Tour official revealed to Sports Illustrated that they will not bar any Tour players from participating in the Promotions event. It stands in sharp contrast to the hardline approach that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan took in 2022 by banning everyone who participated in LIV’s debut event in London. What changed in the last year?

Why does the PGA Tour soften its stand on LIV Golf

Much water has flown under the bridge since the PGA Tour’s announcement of a deal with PIF. From the US Justice Department’s probe to players’ growing demand, all parties experienced one hurdle after another. So, the PGA Tour insider revelation that they are not considering the Qualifying event as an unauthorized event, is quite significant. 

It could be a hint that the negotiations for the $3B merger between PGAT-LIV Golf-DP World Tour have made some progress. It could also be that Monahan sensed several players are mulling over playing in the Promotions event, and doesn’t want to lose them if they fail to qualify. Incidentally,  DP World Tour is yet to clear its position on the matter.

Read More: ‘Falling Apart’: As Jon Rahm Elicits Defection Rumors, PGA Tour’s Ultimate Plot to Checkmate LIV Golf Emerges

When the Promotions event tees off on Dec. 8 at the Abu Dhabi Golf Course, it will be interesting to see how many PGA Tour players decide to give it a shot and how they are welcomed back in the Tour in case their bid to qualify goes sideways. Till then hold your horses, folks.

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