LIV CEO Scott O’Neil visited the Sportico’s Invest in Sports conference today and revealed something that has kept the golfing world split for years. No, nothing radical. Just that the PGA Tour and LIV are in talks for a potential merger, aiming for a global golf ecosystem.

“The two of us have talked a few times,” O’Neil said. “Generally, we have a common view on what could be or should be the landscape of golf over the next several years… There’s an opportunity for the whole golf world to come together and grow this pie.”

Yes, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are back in discussion. And it feels like both circuits are finally ready to put their differences aside and work together to unify men’s professional golf. This discussion, though, comes with significant tweaks, beginning right with the LIV’s format.

However, we all know how these discussions ended last time. All the golf community got was endless headlines about Senate hearings and the PIF. And that begins right with LIV’s inception in 2022.

Offering huge contracts to star players and introducing blitz 54-hole team formats with flashy production, the Saudi league appeared as a disruptive circuit, posing direct threats to the traditional circuit. As a result, the PGA Tour suspended golfers who competed in the new league.

However, in a turn of events, in July 2023, the PGA Tour, the LIV, and the DP World Tour jointly announced a “framework agreement” to unify men’s professional golf under a single commercial entity. Key points proposed in the agreement were that the PIF would become a key investor for all the leagues, while the PGA Tour would maintain governance control.

But the agreement was vague, lacking essential details on governance, structure, and competitive formats. Moreover, facing political scrutiny over Saudi influence, the PGA Tour looked for a different investor group, the SSG. That further strained the negotiations, with the merger discussions stagnating by late 2024.

However, as it turns out, with new personnel heading the office now, both leagues have shifted their focus to business growth and market expansion over ideological rivalry. In 2025, Brian Rolapp stepped up as the new CEO, advocating for ‘incremental’ change. LIV’s Scott O’Neil seems to share the vision. As a result, the discussions are back in place, signaling a unified golfing system.

And this time, the agreement is being debated and detailed. That begins with LIV’s shift to a 72-hole, 4-day format. This is part of the massive overhaul Scott O’Neil has planned to regain relevance in the golfing world. As RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson said, “The beauty of this is, this is a startup business. There’s nothing off the table.”

Clearly, LIV is definitely not resisting change, opening up a world of new possibilities. And the PGA Tour seems to have finally found a leader willing to take bold, disruptive decisions. But why did this merger discussion suddenly have to be back?

Changing financial atmosphere within the PGA Tour and the LIV

Yes, Brian Rolapp, with his background in expanding the NFL, brings fresh perspectives to the leadership. But that is only part of the story behind these renewed discussions. While the leagues position this move as an attempt to unify golf and end litigation, the other half has more numbers and a murkier financial truth.

The PGA Tour, funded by the SSG investors group, is the forefront of men’s professional golf. Consequently, it also manages prize purses for the DP World Tour, ensuring lucrative financial compensation for the European tour. However, the Tour’s goals don’t seem to align with the investors’ ROI motives, sparking tension.

That’s where PIF comes in. Providing funds for the Tour’s global goals, the rich Saudi fund could finally gain a seat at the spearhead of the golfing world. Moreover, this would support Rolapp’s vision, too.

But the PGA Tour isn’t the only league to benefit from the merger. LIV is just as much in need of global recognition and OWGR sanction. After incurring devastating financial losses and slowed viewership growth, this merger could potentially revive the league from collapse. Hence, the shift to a more OWGR-friendly format is only the beginning of this move.

However, it’s not just the league’s personal interests that the merger fulfills. In fact, several players have consistently advocated for a more unified ecosystem within men’s professional golf. Rory McIlroy is one of the strongest voices in this matter.

“That’s sort my little way of trying to think about it and trying to make both sides see that there could be a compromise here,” McIlroy said on the merger discussions last time. “Yeah, it’s probably not going to feel great for either side, but if it’s a place where the game of golf starts to thrive again and we can all get back together, then I think that’s ultimately a really good thing.’’

It’s about time both leagues pay attention to the actual players of the circuits. And it seems the PGA Tour and the LIV are finally on the brink of an agreement that could rewrite golf.