Rex Hoggard explores the fallout from the surprise June 6 deal and what life on Tour is like now, one year later.
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HAMILTON,Ontario–WiththedewjustburningoffatOakdaleGolf&CountryClub,MaverickMcNealywaswastingtimetowardtheendofhispracticeroundattheRBCCanadianOpenwhenheglancedathisphone.
“Ihadlike40textmessagesandwaslike,Waitasecond,‘AdealwithPIF’,what’sgoingonhere?DoIplayforLIVnow?What’sthedeal?’”McNealyrecalled.
Itwasacommonsentimentjustbefore10a.m.ETonJune6,2023,asthegolfworldlearnedtheshockingnewsthatthePGATourandSaudiArabia’sPublicInvestmentFundwerecallingatruceafternearlyayearoflegalwranglingandaturfwarthathadfracturedthegameatitshighestlevel.
Atfirstblush,thenewswascomplicatedbybungledmessagingandconfusionthattheTourandPIF–whichhadfundedLIVGolfandspurredthedivideinprofessionalgolf–hadmerged.Eventhesub-headlineontheTour’sownpressreleasesentanalarminglyincorrectmessage:“PGATour,DPWorldTour,LIVGolfmergecommercialoperationsundercommonownership.”
“Clearly,thefirstreac
