PGA Tour issue biggest LIV response with ‘immediate changes’ impacting Tiger Woods and co

PGA Tour suspends players participating in LIV Golf series

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The PGA Tour has dealt a blow to their rival Saudi-backed LIV Golf series by paying the world’s top players handsomely to compete against each other in a minimum of 20 chosen events, with an additional four highly paid ‘elevated events’ added to the 2023 calendar. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has announced a list of changes ahead of this week’s FedEx Cup finale in Atlanta, and announced that LIV Golfers wanting to return to his Tour will be unable to do so.

In a letter to members, Mr Manahan declared: “This will help us deliver an unmatched product to our fans, who will be guaranteed to see the best players competing against each other in 20 events or more throughout the season.” A group of the Tour’s top players including Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy met in a players-only meeting in Delaware last week ahead of the BMW Championship to discuss proposals to combat the LIV Golf series. 

“With the best interest of the collective in mind, those players rallied together to identify ways they could help strengthen the Tour platform – recognising that if fans are going to invest in the PGA Tour, it means a lot more if they know the players are investing write back,” Mr Manahan added. “Our top players are making a commitment to play in all 12 elevated events, as well as the Players Championship, the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, the US Open and the Open Championship.  

“They will also add at least three PGA Tour events to their schedules.” The chosen elevated events will have an average purse of $20m.

Mr Manahan announced that the tour’s Player Impact Programme list will be doubled from 10 to 20 of the top players with those receiving an increased $100m. The Tour is also helping lower ranked members by introducing an Earnings Assurance Program which will ensure that members, who play in a minimum of 15 events, are guaranteed a $500,000 minimum season pay packet – with the Tour bridging any gap between actual earnings and the minimum figure. 

There will also be a Travel Stipend Program paying $5,000 for every missing cut to help with travel and accommodation expenses. Another change is that once a player reaches 20 PGA Tour wins they will immediately be eligible for life membership.

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“We have and always will be the ultimate platform for a player who wants to compete for the trophies and the titles that matter most,” concluded Mr Manahan. When asked if LIV Golf stars would be able to make a return to the PGA Tour amid the new tournaments being announced, Monahan bluntly responded ‘No’.

LIV Golf rebels Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson are now set to miss out on the rejuvinated PGA Tour circuit. The next LIV Golf series event is in Boston between September 2 and 4.

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