The world of men’s professional golf may take a small step towards reunification soon.
According to a report in Bloomberg on Tuesday, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) is nearing a deal to purchase a minority stake in PGA Tour Enterprises. The stake would be 6% in the PGA Tour’s newly established commercial arm, purchased at a valuation of $12 billion, the same valuation of the Strategic Sports Group’s (SSG) investment earlier this year.
Though reports of a deal between the two sides are encouraging regarding a possible reunification of the sport, the PIF buying a 6% stake in the PGA Tour seems to be a far cry from what was imagined in the summer of 2023 when a “framework agreement” was announced.
Tuesday’s news comes less than two weeks after Bloomberg reported about a “potential tie-up” between the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) and LIV Golf. That agreement would reportedly see the two entities merge and create a combined schedule, letting golfers from both tours play in each other’s events. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour remain intimately intertwined, with the PGA Tour subsidizing a portion of the purses of its sister tour.
It’s unclear how a potential agreement between the PIF, LIV, and either of the PGA Tour or DP World Tour would impact the eligibility of golfers who defected to LIV. But a direct investment would be the most tangible sign yet that the warring tours will find a way back together.
And in the end, that’s all most golf fans want.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.