McIlroy’s sly dig as fresh nail hammered into LIV coffin
LIV is a step closer to extinction after a key ally announced it had cut ties with the failing rebel golf league.
On Wednesday morning, the Asian Tour announced it had ended a five-year partnership with LIV and reunited with the PGA Tour and its European counterpart.
LIV Golf has copped another whack with the Asian Tour ending its partnership. Getty Images
As part of the new partnership, which is effective immediately, the three tours will re-establish a formal pathway for leading Asian players. The European Tour will once again co-sanction select Asian tournaments.
The announcement is more or less a return to the deal that existed between 2016-2021, with the addition of extra PGA Tour support.
“Positive news and great to see respective tours working together for the good of international golf,” Masters champ Rory McIlroy said on Instagram.
The move is another nail in LIV’s coffin as chief executive Scott O’Neill continues to sell a “LIV 2.0” to potential investors.
O’Neill has until September 1 to secure an estimated $430 million (US$300 million) of investment or face extinction from the golf landscape altogether.
After the Asian Tour became the rebel tour’s key feeder in 2022, LIV’s Saudi backers invested about $400 million creating a series of 10 events featuring purses of at least $2.5 million.
But Asian Tour Commissioner and chief executive Cho Minn Thant said the “time is now right” to collaborate with the European Tour and PGA Tour to enhance the Asian Tour for its members, fans and partners.
“Bringing the three Tours together under one partnership will increase the bandwidth of the professional game in Asia,” Cho said.
“Not only will co-sanctioning events see our members competing regularly on the global stage, but we are excited to welcome players from the other Tours to our pinnacle events, which showcase the strength and diversity of golf in Asia.”
When asked for a reaction to the partnership, a LIV spokesperson said they had no official statement.
Christian Hardy, the PGA Tour’s senior vice president of international, called the three-tour alliance an example of collaboration by tours “with a shared vision for the future of professional golf.”
– with Reuters
