Can Trump Save Professional Golf? PGA Tour Pleads With President for Help

Posted on: February 6, 2025, 03:54h. 

Last updated on: February 6, 2025, 03:54h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

The state of men’s professional golf is in disarray. Two major competing tours — the longtime gold standard, the PGA Tour, and the Saudi-funded upstart LIV Golf — have caused divisiveness among fans and players.

Donald Trump LIV Golf PGA Tour
President Donald Trump plays golf at his Trump National Golf Club Bedminster ahead of LIV Golf Bedminster on Aug. 9, 2023, in Bedminster, New Jersey. Back in the White House, Trump has been asked by the PGA Tour to remedy its merger qualms with LIV Golf. (Image: Shutterstock)

It was nearly two years ago — June 2023 — when the PGA Tour and LIV announced a shocking merger of the two professional men’s golf circuits. Twenty months later, the tours remain separate and bickering between the two communities and superstars remain.

The divisiveness of pro golf, recently exacerbated by the debut of TGL, an indoor simulated league from Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, has led to reduced television ratings for the Tour this year. It’s also presumably hampered handle, or the amount bet, at legal sportsbooks.

The June 2023 deal was to allow the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, to become a major investor in the PGA Tour and bring together the two tours. The PGA Tour was to control the merger and have a narrow majority on its board of directors, regardless of how much cash PIF invested.

The transaction never materialized. LIV Golf’s initial CEO, Greg Norman, exited his role last month. LIV is seemingly back on its own course, as in January it announced a deal with Fox Sports for LIV tournaments to be broadcast across the Fox network, including FS1, FS2, and Fox Business.

PGA Tour Statement Quite Bizarre

The PGA Tour issued a brief statement today, Feb. 6, on the ongoing LIV Golf merger and how the newly inaugurated commander-in-chief might help remedy the impediments standing in the way.

We know golf fans are eagerly anticipating a resolution to negotiations with the Public Investment Fund and want to thank President Donald Trump for his interest and long-time support of the game of golf,” a statement from PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and Player Directors Tiger Woods and Adam Scott read. “We asked the president to get involved for the good of the game, the good of the country, and for all the countries involved. We are grateful that his leadership has brought us closer to a final deal, paving the way for reunification of men’s professional golf.”

Many golf and sports fans were left perplexed by the statement. However, during his 2024 campaign, the former casino tycoon who is golf-obsessed and owns 20 courses around the world said he could get the PGA Tour-LIV deal done “in about 15 minutes.”

United Golf Stands

Trump has been an adamant supporter of LIV Golf and has allowed his courses to play host to LIV tournaments. PIF’s endless bankroll has allowed the golf startup to poach several golf superstars away from the PGA Tour, including Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, and Dustin Johnson, all of whom were Trump supporters in 2024.

As a result of LIV Golf pulling away numerous players in their primes, who, along with DeChambeau, includes Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Cameron Smith, golf fans and bettors only see the best players in the world assemble four times a year for golf’s majors.

The first major up in 2025 — as is traditionally the case barring a global pandemic — is the Masters. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion who won his first green jacket in 2022, is the front-runner at +420.