Stunned PGA Tour players said they had been left in the dark about the surprise merger with LIV Golf that shocked the world of golf on Tuesday.
Shortly after the unexpected announcement that golf’s bitter battle between the established PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf was over, players took to social media to react.
And it was clear that PGA Tour players had no idea that a deal was in the offing while LIV players were delighted at the end of the conflict.
“The hell is going on? Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right?,” said American player Michael Kim.
Canadian player Mackenzie Hughes was quick to note the sharp about-turn from PGA Tour officials who had been vehemently opposed to the Saudi-backed tour.
“Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with,” he wrote.
ESPN quoted one PGA Tour player they contacted as responding: “No f—ing way.”
South Korea’s An Byeong-hun noted the difficult situation for players who had backed the PGA Tour’s stance against LIV.
“I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money. Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years”.
Reaction was much more positive among players on the LIV Tour with one of their most prominent players, six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson quickly taking to social media.
“Awesome day today,” tweeted Mickelson above a link to a news story on the merger.
Brooks Koepka, who became the first LIV golfer to win a Major with his triumph at the PGA Championship last month, took aim at one of LIV’s strongest critics, television golf pundit Brandel Chamblee.
“Welfare check on Chamblee,” Koepka tweeted.
Former US president Donald Trump, who hosted several LIV events on his courses, gave his endorsement of the deal.
“Great news from LIV Golf. A big, beautiful and glamorous deal for the wonderful world of golf. Congrats to all,” said Trump on social media.
Trump had predicted the merger in a social media post in July 2022, saying: “All of those golfers that remain ‘loyal’ to the very disloyal PGA, in all of its different forms, will pay a big price when the inevitable MERGER with LIV comes, and you get nothing but a big ‘thank you’ from PGA officials who are making Millions of Dollars a year. If you don’t take the money now, you will get nothing after the merger takes place, and only say how smart the original signees were.”
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© Agence France-Presse
