Reportedly, PIF, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund that backs LIV Golf, is hashing out a deal with the DP World Tour. Per insiders, this new deal is separate from the one that involves the PGA Tour. It should be noted that the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour have a strategic partnership. 

Currently, the Ponte Vedra-based circuit is in talks with PIF, which will see the Saudi sovereign fund becoming a minority stakeholder in the for-profit PGA Tour Enterprises. Although the mammoth negotiation between the three entities has had some positive momentum, no conclusive deal has been worked out yet, frustrating fans and players. Amid this, a separate agreement between PIF and the DP World Tour becomes significant for many reasons. 

Bloomberg, which first broke the news, reported, “The talks with DP World Tour are separate from the ongoing investment discussions between the PGA Tour and the Saudi wealth fund, the people said, with both deals still possible. Talks may end without an agreement, the people cautioned, asking not to be named discussing private information.”

If the agreement is fruitful, LIV Golf players are likely to tee off in a few DP World Tour events. That obviously means a chance for them to rake in world-ranking points. Currently, LIV golf pros don’t receive the OWGR points necessary to earn an automatic spot into the majors and the Ryder Cup. 

Should the two entities decide to chalk out a deal, garnering OWGR points will become far easier for LIV golfers. Moreover, the DP World Tour purse size might also see a massive spike as well. The prospect of a lucrative deal has already excited fans.

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Fans dub the LIV Golf move smart but too late

It should be noted that PIF first reached out to the DP World Tour in 2021. Officials from both entities met in Malta, where PIF officials shared the first visions of a global tour. However, the Wentworth-HQ circuit, then led by Keith Pelley, was unimpressed, and talks didn’t yield any result. But some fans believe the DPWT should’ve grabbed the opportunity in 2021 itself.

“Smart move. 3 years too late,” one of the users wrote. The DPWT fined players for joining a rival tour. Moreover, the European circuit signed a strategic agreement with the PGA Tour. Currently, the top ten players in the Race to Dubai Rankings earn a PGA Tour card. 

Some fans, however, opined that this would allow the DP World Tour to become a feeder to the US-based circuit. One of them commented, “Don’t understand why they didn’t do this [agreement with PIF] in the first place rather than be subservient to the PGA Tour!!??”

Who will benefit from a deal with PIF though? For the LIV golfers, this provides an avenue for improving their world ranking. Moreover, this might also give them a chance to shrug off the ‘exhibition players’ tag. Earlier, Nick Faldo remarked Jon Rahm & Co. were used to playing only in resort-level courses. In fact, Greg Norman’s decision to host an event in Bolingbrook only added fuel to the ire. 

So, some believe players on the Saudi-backed side stand to benefit the most. “Strategically, this makes far more sense for LIV than playing second-rate tracks in the US,” commented one user. On the flip side, DPWT players will be able to tee off in some LIV Golf events and compete for a larger paycheck. So, a section of fans believe this is a win-win situation for both. “It makes a LOT of sense for both parties,” said one fan.

Notably, this news comes barely months after PGA Tour CEO, Jay Monahan, PIF Chief, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, and DPWT CEO, Guy Kinnings were spotted in a jovial mood at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Yet, there has been no concrete step toward resolving golf’s civil war. 

Apparently, players are not aligned on how to bring back LIV golfers to the Tour, causing delays in the merger agreement. Some believe this has forced the PIF and DP World Tour to look for other alternatives, as Rory McIlroy cautioned months back. “They’re doing an end around the PGAT because they are sick and tired of waiting for Tiger and his minions,” joked one fan.

It should be noted that the latest report comes just a day after Jon Rahm was confirmed to start at DP World Tour’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic next year. Tyrrell Hatton was also selected in the squad for the Team Cup. It’s a Ryder Cup warmup match where Britain & Ireland compete against Continental Europe. PIF and LIV Golf officials have not commented on the latest report, however.