Remember the legacy vs. disruption, ethics vs. economics debate around the PGA Tour and LIV Golf? This long-running feud seemingly came to a halt when the two sides dropped their arms in June 2023 to announce a merger. The reactions to the news, however, were not as expected. The PGA Tour’s Rory McIlroy defined his role as a sacrificial lamb after learning about the secret meetings. Turns out, the world No. 2 wasn’t the only one who felt blindsided.

“Norman says he found out five minutes before PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan and the PGA Tour’s Jay Monahan appeared on television together to announce they had ended litigation and were entering into a framework agreement to join forces,” The Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Beaton wrote in his latest article.

On June 6, 2023, the two rival leagues announced that they were dropping all litigation and joining hands to create a new golf entity for the sport’s success and growth. Reportedly, PIF, the primary financial backer of LIV Golf, was to invest a sum of at least $1.5 million in this deal. At the same time, the PGA Tour and the European Tour will have to share their commercial benefits, which LIV has yet to target.

However, no updates on the deal closing are out so far, leaving all the players and fans hanging.

But the fact that the then-LIV CEO was not involved in any of the negotiations is not new. There have always been telltale signs of it. If you look at it closely, he was never mentioned in any of the news releases associated with the agreement. However, just like the Northern Irishman had noted, he was aware of some talks being done about a possible merger. For McIlroy, the news was more like a betrayal.

Since LIV Golf first launched in 2021, McIlroy has sought to elevate the PGA Tour and preserve its legacy and traditions. As a player who only speaks when his thoughts are clear, he has a strong rapport with the media and the players. Even though he found himself paralyzed between the two rival leagues, he still tried to reason the move.

“I think ultimately, when I look at the bigger picture, 10 years down the line, this is going to be good for the game of professional golf. It’s hard not to feel like I was a sacrificial lamb,” McIlroy told the press before the 2023 RBC Canadian Open. “I’ve come to terms with it. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that this is what’s going to happen.”

The news was especially surprising since former PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had denied any such possibilities previously.

“When you look at where we are, and you think about words and actions, we’re currently in a lawsuit, so coming together and having conversations, to me, that card is off the table, and it has been for a long period of time,” Monahan told the reporters in September 2022.

As McIlroy hinted, the announcement briefly sparked excitement about the possibility of bringing players like Bryson DeChambeau back into PGA Tour events. However, that early optimism faded as months passed without anyone finalizing on the deal.

Then, the two organizations announced a “framework agreement” after secret negotiations in June 2023. When both leaders were side-by-side on a CNBC set, it was really surreal. The agreement was to merge and become a new for-profit organization. This agreement was set to take place on New Year’s Eve, but nothing materialized.

“It’s messy, and it has been and it seems to get messier every week,” Seth Waugh, CEO of the PGA of America, said at the PGA Championship. “I don’t think the game is big enough for two tours like that, and I think we are diluting the game in a way that is not healthy.”

It’s been over two years now, and the situation remains unchanged. Neither the PGA Tour nor LIV Golf is on speaking terms. Greg Norman stepped down as CEO, and Scott O’Neil took over. While O’Neil is making numerous changes to get the OWGR-eligible tour status, merger talks are still not possible.

Over time, McIlroy’s views on the LIV Golf and the PGA Tour merger have changed. He still believes that it would be ideal for the game of golf, but it is still not essential. According to Norman’s previous claims, LIV certainly doesn’t need the PGA Tour’s help to evolve the game, as they have already been game changers since their launch.

Still, it was a hope for the players to have a unified ground to compete. But the secrecy itself angered many others.

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How the golf world reacted to the merger news

Golfers who had already taken big contracts and joined LIV were happy about the news. And it’s understandable.

After the select players left for LIV, Monahan barred them from returning to the PGA Tour. He even announced that their scores will not be counted against the OWGR scores. Moreover, throughout this time, Monahan has been closely monitoring any movements, handing punishments to players even if they participated in LIV Golf’s creator contests. But with a merger, all these problems will be resolved.

Brooks Koepka took a dig at Brandel Chamblee and wrote, “Welfare Check on Chamblee.” Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson said, “Awesome day today.” However, those who stuck with the PGA Tour were angry with Jay Monahan and his decision.

Collin Morikawa and fellow American Wesley Bryan sarcastically mentioned they “love finding out on Twitter.”Adding to it, Bryan wrote, “This is amazing. Y’all should be ashamed and have a lot of questions to answer. I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA Tour for a very long time.”

Interestingly, John Rahm, who eventually moved to LIV Golf from the PGA Tour, also had a similar reaction.

“There’s a lot of not-answered questions,” he said. “I think the general feeling is that a lot of people feel a bit of betrayal from management. I understand why they had to keep it so secret. It’s just not easy as a player that’s been involved, like many others, to wake up one day and see this bombshell.”

The surprise announcement left a split in the sport that still hasn’t healed. Players and leaders now wait to see if the tours can find common ground or if the divide will continue shaping the future of golf.