The battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has been fierce, full of legal threats, loyalty pledges, fractured friendships, and massive paychecks. It’s a conflict that has reshaped professional golf over the past three years, leaving fans divided, veterans disillusioned, and stars scattered across rival tours. LIV, backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, burst onto the scene with outrageous signing bonuses, promises of freedom, and a vision to revolutionize the game. In response, the PGA Tour doubled down on tradition, adjusted its business model, and attempted to retain its top talent through elevated purses and bonus programs. But amid all that drama, according to one respected golf journalist, the most surprising twist might be this: LIV Golf has actually been more truthful to its players than the PGA Tour.

That’s the take from Dan Rapaport, who dropped this unexpected assessment during Dan on Golf, in a conversation that doubled as both a critique and a reality check. Despite LIV’s growing pains, Rapaport believes the upstart league has delivered on more of its promises than Jay Monahan’s PGA Tour ever did. “LIV—basically what they told their guys—was a lot more true than what the PGA Tour told their guys, right?” Rapaport said. LIV made its case clearly to players from day one: the major championships weren’t going to bar them, and Ryder Cup eligibility would remain intact. That has, for the most part, held up. And yet, for all the players they’ve recruited—many of them major champions or former World No. 1s—the league has failed to generate traction.

“They’re losing money, and the PGA Tour can sort of mint stars in a way that LIV just can’t. It’s that simple,” Rapaport added. “The only star that they’ve created is Joaquín Niemann, and all the discussion around him is what he hasn’t done in the majors.” Rapaport points to a notable trend: many of the big-name defectors to LIV are nowhere near the players they once were. Dustin Johnson, once a World No. 1, is currently outside the top 60 on DataGolf rankings and rarely contends in majors anymore. Brooks Koepka has gone six majors without a top-10 finish. Bubba Watson nearly got relegated in 2024, finishing 53rd out of 54 in the LIV standings. Cameron Smith, once a Wyndham and Open champion, missed the cut in all four majors in 2025. Even Phil Mickelson, once the game’s most charismatic draw. is now barely making cuts and fading from public view.

By contrast, the PGA Tour continues to churn out rising stars like Ludvig Åberg and Luke Clanton, proving its ability to replenish its talent pipeline—something LIV hasn’t yet shown it can do. “LIV couldn’t have asked for it to go much better from, like, an access perspective—and it still just hasn’t really picked up.” Despite heavy investment from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, LIV’s financials paint a grim picture. In 2024 alone, the league posted international losses of nearly $400 million, and analysts project that LIV may cross $5 billion in losses by the end of 2025. TV deals generate little to no revenue, with U.S. broadcasts airing on The CW under a revenue-share agreement that pays LIV nothing upfront. LIV also covers all production costs, putting further strain on its long-term viability.

Those financial pressures haven’t just raised eyebrows; they’ve reignited tensions between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour. As the money burns and the audience remains lukewarm, hopes of a smooth unification are quickly fading. The once-promising merger talks, championed by some of golf’s biggest names, have now hit a wall.

Merger stalled: Tiger Woods’s optimism hits a wall

At one point, it all seemed headed for a peaceful resolution. Tiger Woods, serving as a key negotiator for the PGA Tour, told fans at the 2024 Players Championship that he was optimistic the sport’s best would “soon be back together.” But that unity remains a distant dream.

Behind closed doors, negotiations between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have broken down. A high-profile meeting at the White House in early summer 2025—facilitated by former President Donald Trump and attended by Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Adam Scott—was described by insiders as a flop. According to CBS reporter Rex Hoggard, both sides “feel like they have the upper hand” and are unwilling to budge. Fellow CBS analyst Ryan Lavner went further, mocking Woods’s optimism: “That clip is going to live in infamy.”

PGA Tour board member Adam Scott confirmed the gridlock at the Wyndham Championship, bluntly stating that discussions “haven’t advanced far” since that meeting. The tour, buoyed by strong TV ratings and consistent sponsor support, appears confident it can survive without Saudi investment. Meanwhile, LIV continues to bleed cash without fan or broadcaster engagement. As the standoff drags on, Woods—once viewed as the unifying figure who could mend the fractured game—now finds himself in an uncomfortable position. His credibility, like the merger itself, hangs in limbo.