There is no doubt that LIV Golf has found phenomenal success in Australia. So much so that there were talks about the PGA Tour, which has wanted to expand internationally, merging with LIV. But none of those materialised. Instead, the PGA Tour struck a landmark deal with Golf Australia and the DP World Tour earlier this month, alongside a new two-tier competition structure set for 2028. When former CEO Greg Norman heard the PGA Tour’s major announcement, the first thing he did was make a call to Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland.

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“I messaged James Sutherland immediately after I heard about the Australian Open agreement, saying congrats,” Norman told Australian Golf Digest. “It’s a big step and long overdue by decades.”

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Even so, after offering his congratulations, Norman couldn’t resist pointing out one thing: the PGA Tour may have borrowed a page from LIV’s playbook.

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“I’m not saying it’s a reaction to LIV,” Norman added. “I would say Brian Rolapp has been observant of the key indicators of why massive success is there when a tour brings numerous high-profile and high-quality players. That part is always the heavy lift for tournament organisers in different parts of the world. But, get that right and the end result is fan excitement, support, and greater exposure for the game of golf, like we’ve seen at LIV Golf Adelaide and, more recently, LIV Golf South Africa.”

Meanwhile, the event will continue to be co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia. This landmark deal will make it much easier for players from the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the DP World Tour to compete and earn official ranking points. Besides, the involvement of the PGA Tour in the Australian Open is a first in the tournament’s 120+ year history. 

The 2026 event is now slated to return to Melbourne’s renowned Kingston Heath Golf Club from December 3 to 6, 2026. In the meantime, however, there has been some friction since one of the announcements.

Rory McIlroy wasn’t a fan even before the two-tiered system was announced

Before the two-tiered system was introduced, Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the overhaul. The four-time major champion questioned whether the overhaul would come at the expense of the Tour’s historic events.

“I don’t really know. I guess, just recency, an event like last week, the Canadian Open, potentially going to one of these Track 2s. Track 2 is a glorified Korn Ferry event,” McIlroy said. “So I don’t think the Canadian Open should be one of those.”

He feared that the tournaments with decades of history could lose their prestige because sponsors cannot match the Tour’s increasing financial demands.

“I just think there’s going to be certain events that might lose their stature if a sponsor doesn’t pony up $30 million. So that’s the tough thing,” he added. 

The PGA Tour’s two-tier system splits the tour into two leagues. First, the Championship Series, where only the elite players compete in events with smaller fields. And second, the Challenger Series, where developing and lower-ranked players compete. That being said, the PGA Tour’s partnerships appear to have shaken up the golf world.