Breaking; New golf chief puts timeline on “significant changes” amid LIV Golf saga
The world of professional golf remains split, as the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia are yet to finalize their agreement.
Guy Kinnings, the newly appointed CEO of DP World Tour, has acknowledged that significant changes at the upper echelons of professional golf will not take effect until 2025 or later.
Since the establishment of LIV Golf in summer 2022, the sport has been split into two camps as both PGA Tour and DP World Tour have implemented measures against players who chose to associate with the Saudi-supported league. However, hopes for a resolution emerged last year when PGA announced an unexpected framework agreement with Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).
Despite the inclusion of the DP World Tour, a reunion between professional golf organizations was anticipated through negotiations by two major rivals. However, after 10 months since initial discussions began, an agreement has not yet been reached.
Kinnings, the new leader of European golf after taking over Keith Pelley’s position, shared his thoughts on the future of professional golf. Despite acknowledging that a deal needs to be made immediately, he also revealed that implementing changes will require some time. Kinnings stated that there won’t be many modifications in 2025 but anticipates significant developments by 2026.
In order to accomplish this, we must allocate time for preparation until 2025. I am not imposing any strict timelines; however, in order to devise a new product by 2026, finalization needs completion before the end of this year. Every person involved should be adaptable and willing to compromise as necessary. Once we discover the optimal solution, speed is imperative for advancement.
Currently, the PGA Tour has forbidden any of its members who have chosen to align themselves with Greg Norman and his team. This decision has resulted in penalties for players such as Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Jon Rahm. The DP World Tour has taken a comparable stance but is not quite as severe.
Membership revocation and financial penalties are at the discretion of the European circuit for any member who participates in LIV Golf tournaments that coincide with a DP World Tour event. As a result, notable players such as Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood have chosen to terminate their memberships from this tour.
However, this decision has resulted in three of Europe’s top players relinquishing their Ryder Cup qualifications. Such development instills the concern that Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton may have missed out on the opportunity to represent their continent in September of next year when they played a crucial role in Team Europe’s victory last fall in Rome.
Kinnings provided reassurance that the duo can still participate, stating: “There seems to be a slight misunderstanding regarding the eligibility criteria for 2023. As long as a player is European and adheres to DP World Tour regulations, they remain eligible under current guidelines.”
