In October, 2021, former professional golfer Greg Norman started a new Saudi golf league to compete with the PGA called LIV. This feud between the two Major golf leagues has stirred many golf fans and players into a lot of controversy. But this is not the first time the two leagues have tried to combine.

Many great PGA players have joined the new golf league including many former Major winners, Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson, Bryson Dechambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Bubba Watson, and Martin Kaymer. All of these players joined LIV and were ineligible to ever play in a PGA event ever again. This would change, on June 6, 2023 the PGA and LIV would come to a slight merger agreement allowing LIV golf players to play only in the PGA Major events which are the most important tournaments in all of golf.

LIV players can qualify for these Major events by, winning this event in the past, winning another Major event, receiving a special invite, and qualifying through the world ranking system. Only one LIV golfer has won a Major event since the creation of the merger, that was Bryson Dechambeau during the 2024 U.S. Open. But why would there be so much controversy if they already have a little agreement.

There is a lot of controversy because LIV is offering millions of dollars just for them to join the league. Two time Major Champion Jon Rahm was paid $300 million to leave the PGA. This is starting controversy because in the PGA you have to earn money by making the cut and placing good in tournaments which adds stress and competitiveness during tournaments, while LIV is a team format where there is not cuts and they have DJ’s playing music on the course and is a more relaxed version of golf.

It is not very fair to the players that the LIV golfers can get unlimited amounts of money because the Saudi Public Investment Fund helps fund for the money for the players so they can get more money than winning a PGA tournament just to join the league. This has caused the PGA to put some more money into the prize pools so that they can still somewhat compete with LIV. Luckily for the PGA, LIV golf could only be watched in person because they could not negotiate a TV contract up until this year when they signed a contract with FOX.

But many PGA golfers have voiced their opinions to stay away from LIV golf. Rory Mcilroy has been the main leader of the PGA alongside Tiger Woods to voice their opinions to help keep fans and players revolving around the PGA. PGA is also the only professional league that has a player union to help the league make changes to help change for the better.

The PGA union has sent the PGA commissioner and player directors to try and convince President Trump, who is a big golf fan himself, to try and help to combine and resolve the PGA and LIV. Fans want to watch the best players in the world all in one league and compete with each other instead of trying to watch two different leagues with two very different formats. No one would know what it would look like if the two would actually resolve and combine if it would be more like the PGA or if LIV takes over.

Not only are there rumors of the leagues combining, but also players leaving. Three time Major winner Jordan Speith has been rumored to be considering joining the LIV tour after leaving the PGA union. This is surprising to me because his two very good friends who are also on the PGA tour, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler have been very against LIV and I hope Jordan decides to stay on the PGA.

The rumor I am most excited about is Bryson Dechambeau leaving LIV to re-join the PGA. I think this would be very beneficial to the PGA because Bryson is becoming very popular off of his YouTube account gaining 1.74 million followers which would bring more fans and money to the PGA. I think if Bryson comes back to the PGA it will draw more players to leave LIV and more players coming back to the PGA.

With all of this information there are many opinions to have about all of this, but this is what I would do if I were the one to rejoin the two.

I would make all of the LIV players re-join the PGA because the PGA has been around for a long time and there is not point in re-writing that history and change anything about how the PGA works because I think it is fine just the way it is. I would also add more team events to the PGA or have some sort of team schedule or league during the off season because I feel like team events in golf are starting to take off watching all the TGL games. Team events seem to bring more of a crowd as well.

The Ryder Cup is the biggest golfing event in the world because it is America’s best golfers vs Europe’s best golfers. It happens every two years and alternates from America to Europe every year. The crowd is always loud and the whole tournament is very hype and very fun to watch and be a part of.

So I would bring in more team events and bring all the LIV players over to the PGA. I would add some tournaments internationally as well because LIV is based in the middle east where it usually is sunny and warm but you can also add some tournaments in hard conditioned places like Ireland were it might be rainy and windy the whole tournament. This would also help grow the game allowing people from all across the world to watch golf.

That is what I would do if I were in charge because I feel like golf doesn’t need to change that much, all we really need is the best players in the world in one league. If players are really concerned about the money because they are an Amateur or a Rookie who hasn’t broke through yet then even people who don’t make the cut can get paid a little money but that takes away the pressure of the cut line which I feel like is a good thing in golf. Hopefully they don’t change anything to major yet just because it might not work out that well and were not trying to ruin golf.