Is LIV Golf signing a deal with the DP World Tour? All you need to know

LIV Golf recently entered a new discussion about a potential deal with the DP World Tour. The Saudi-backed golf series has already been in conversation over a negotiation deal with the PGA Tour for more than a year, and now Bloomberg has reported that the Saudi circuit is interested in a separate deal with the European Tour.

As per the report, both series are discussing a possible merger and the creation of a schedule allowing players from both series to compete in tournaments hosted by either tour. Moreover, the DP World Tour is also seeking stable funding from the breakaway series.

The discussions are ongoing, but officials from LIV Golf and the DP World Tour have refrained from sharing any details about it. Nonetheless, a spokesperson for the DP World Tour stated that they have been in talks with various circuits to improve men’s golf. The spokesperson said (via Bloomberg0;

"We remain in discussions with the PGA Tour, PGA Tour Enterprises, SSG, and PIF relating to the ongoing overall picture for men’s global golf, but no agreements have been reached.”

Notably, the Public Investment Fund (PIF) has also been in discussions with the PGA Tour for a potential merger. Their deal was announced in June 2023 and has not been finalized so far. Earlier this year, in an interview, four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy suggested that the deal between the PGA Tour and PIF might be finalized by the end of 2024. He said (via CBS Sport):

"Maybe it's going too slow for the people that follow golf. In the business world, deals of this size take time. You are talking about billions of dollars changing hands, different jurisdictions. I think we'll know a lot more by year's end. We're in October, so hopefully [there's] three months to get something done."

The PGA Tour and, now reportedly, the DP World Tour have been in talks with the Saudi-backed circuit. Only time will tell which deal will be finalized first and how they will proceed in the future.

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PGA Tour players to compete against LIV rivals amidst negotiation deal

PGA Tour top-ranked players Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are scheduled to play against LIV rivals Bryson DeChambeau and five-time major winner Brooks Koepka in an upcoming match called "The Showdown." The event is scheduled to take place on December 17 in Las Vegas.

However, Rory McIlroy clarified his stance on the upcoming tournament in one of his interviews in September 2024, claiming that "it's not meant to send a message" amidst the merger talks between the series. He said (via ESPN):

"I wouldn't say it's meant to send a message. It's more we wanted to do something that, I guess, all golf fans could get excited about. You've got the best player in the world. You've got two guys in Bryson and Brooks that have won majors in the last two years. I haven't done what those guys have done the last couple years, but I've definitely been, I feel, one of the best players in the world."

When LIV Golf came into existence in 2021, it gave rise to civil war within the golf world. Over time, however, circumstances have changed, and now the series is in talks about potential mergers.