The PGA Tour and the DP World Tour have worked separately and in tandem for several years now. But when LIV Golf came into existence, it sparked golf’s power struggle, which has not faded to date. Behind the calm greens and polite applause, golf’s most prominent institutions are locked in a financial and moral tug-of-war. However, things seem to be moving again.

LIV Golf has made many moves in the past month or so. With all these moves in play, the talk of a possible merger between the PGA Tour and LIV is resurfacing. Amid these moves, Eamon Lynch, the veteran golf analyst from Golfweek, has warned that the PGA Tour’s future could hinge on decisions made in boardrooms, not on fairways.

“Every change LIV makes — even hopping from LIV to LXXII — exposes that the plan was never to grow the game with innovation but to buy it wholesale. That effort has failed so far, but it’s a mistake to assume it has ceased. Gifting an opening to Al-Rumayyan would embolden his ambitions and stunt the Tour’s potential to grow its global business for decades. The only sensible option is to wait them out, for two reasons. Firstly, because the Tour has zero urgency to act. Secondly, even the Saudis have a limit on how much money they’ll torch for a vanity project, and those losses are already at a number that’s a hell of a lot more complicated to render in their beloved Roman numerals,” wrote Lynch.

When announcing the move from a 54-hole format to a 72-hole format, LIV’s CEO Scott O’Neil used the term “innovation.” However, many analysts believe that switching to a format that has been around for several decades is not innovation by any means. Eamon Lynch says that this signals LIV Golf’s intention, as all these moves could be an attempt to push a deal.

LIV reapplied for eligible tour status from the OWGR. Since then, it has made many significant moves. First came the announcement of adding more spots on the LIV roster for golfers from the Asian Tour and its promotional event. Then, it switched from its regular 54-hole format to a 72-hole format. All these changes align with the feedback from Peter Dawson and the team in 2023 when they rejected the initial application.

While at the surface, it may seem like legitimate moves to get the OWGR status. However, some golf analysts believe that all these could simply have an ulterior motive of pushing a deal with the PGA Tour. LIV had already offered $1.5 billion deal to the PGA Tour for a merger. However, the American organization declined the offer. If LIV can obtain OWGR status, it can significantly improve its negotiating position.

Eamon Lynch believes the decision on the merger could have adverse consequences for the PGA Tour. He says that it will all depend on investors at Strategic Sports Group. “The crux, like much of what’s to come with the PGA Tour, depends on what its investors at Strategic Sports Group want, and the extent to which they’ve convinced themselves that LIV no longer represents a threat. Do the whiz kids of Greater Fenway thirst for a cash infusion by the Saudis? Would they settle for an agreement that cedes the ex-U.S. market in return for a promise that each will stick to their own patch? Short-term thinking risks a longer-term crisis,” Lynch wrote.

A deal for even a short term could give a significant boost to Al-Rumayyan’s ambitions. Once he gets a seat on the board of the PGA Tour, he can infiltrate further. And that’s the concern many golf enthusiasts besides Eamon Lynch have. The best route, according to him, will be to wait out the Saudis’ finances to take a hit.

Regardless of whether these moves give LIV eligible tour status under the OWGR, they have certainly made the league a bigger threat to the PGA Tour than it used to be.

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LIV Golf remains a legitimate threat to the PGA Tour

Many golf analysts and pro golfers believe that, after all the changes, LIV can get the OWGR status. That’s why it would be foolish of the PGA Tour not to consider it a threat anymore. Just like Eamon Lynch, pro golfer Paul McGinley also believes the same. The Irish golfer says that it is only a matter of time before LIV Golf gains points status.

The Saudi-backed league is already known for offering high prize money and signing contracts. With this, it has already taken many star golfers like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, and others. With the OWGR points in the mix, it could attract even more elite golfers.

The DP World Tour has started collaborating with LIV Golf. It is allowing player exchange opportunities and letting their golfers participate in LIV’s promotional events. This points to some level of working relationship. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour remains cautious about aligning with LIV Golf. Top executives, including Brian Rolapp and Scott O’Neil, have found some common ground, but significant concerns remain.

The PGA Tour stands at a crossroads where financial temptation collides with the sport’s legacy. As Eamon Lynch warns, patience, not partnership, may be the key to preserving golf’s integrity and securing its long-term future.