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PGA Tour And Saudi-Backed LIV Golf Agree To Merger

THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 22: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his shot from the sixth tee as Phil Mickelson of the United States looks on during the first round of the Zozo Championship @ Sherwood on October 22, 2020 in Thousand Oaks, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Kay Smythe News and Commentary Writer
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The PGA Tour is merging with Saudi-backed rival LIV Golf, according to an announcement Tuesday.

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour (PGA European Tour), and LIV Golf’s backers the Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced their unification on Tuesday in a statement shared on the PGA Tour website. All commercial businesses related to the three entities will be merging into a single golfing giant, which has yet to be named.

All those involved in the merger have “mutually agreed end to all pending litigation between the participating parties,” according to the statement. The niche details of the agreement are still to be worked out, but it appears that all parties are pleased with the decision.

“After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in the statement. “This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA TOUR’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV – including the team golf concept – to create an organization that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.” His sentiments were echoed by members of PIF and the DP World Tour. (RELATED: Hilarious Video Shows Trump Surviving The ‘Back Off Challenge’)

The two golfing giants have put professional golfers, funders, and fans through a seemingly non-stop back-and-forth bickering for so long it’s hard to remember when it all started. Watch this space for more as this story evolves.