PGA Tour forms taskforce to look at allowing LIV players back

LIV boss Greg Norman was in New York selling the future of his tour as his US PGA Tour rival confirmed a possible way back for defectors.

The PGA Tour has set up a taskforce to explore “potential pathways back to the PGA Tour for LIV players”, but there remains no clarity on the Saudi-backed tour‘s future after Jay Monahan’s return to work.

But in New York, LIV boss Greg Norman put on his salesman’s hat and spoke to potential sponsors, selling the vision of his tour for the coming years.

Monahan, the PGA Tour Commissioner who helped broker the deal with LIV backers the Saudi Public Investment Fund that brought to an end golf’s two-year war, returned to work on July 17 after being forced to step away after the agreement was announced to deal with a health issue.

In a memo sent to anxious PGA Tour players wanting an update on what the deal means for the game’s future, Monahan announced, among many things, that a player benefit program would be established if it reached a final deal with the PIF that “will be financially significant”.

He also confirmed the establishment of the taskforce to assess the potential for players who joined LIV golf, including Australian star Cameron Smith, to rejoin the PGA Tour should they “wish to reapply in the future”.

But there remains ongoing angst from players towards Monahan, who kept them in the dark while he was negotiating with the PIF, as well as questions over whether LIV will survive in to 2024 and beyond.

We had a fantastic afternoon at the ⁦@livgolf_league⁩ ‘up fronts’ in NYC today. Engaging with potential partners/sponsors as we set our stall out for 2024 and 2025. I am thrilled to be a part of this journey, and we’re just getting started! #LIVGolfpic.twitter.com/a1M5TdgtV3

— Arlo White (@arlowhite) July 27, 2023

As part of the new deal, which is yet to be formalised in its entirety, Monahan would have the final say on whether LIV continued in its 14-event format or at all.

As he prepared for his title defence at The Open earlier this month, Smith, a two-time LIV event winner, said he had “no idea” what was happening with the tour.

“I’m out of those conversations,” he said.

Norman has been largely silent since the deal between the PGA Tour and the PIF was announced after he, too, was frozen out of negotiations.

It was also revealed there were calls during the negotiations for the Australian legend to be removed from his position.

Cameron Smith with LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman, who was frozen out of negotiations. Picture: Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

But Smith threw his support behind Norman and said he was one administrator looking after the players’ interests.

“I think I’ve kind of become a bit of a friend of Greg’s, I guess, the last eight or nine months,” Smith said at Royal Liverpool.

“Personally, I think he’s doing a great job for our tour. He’s looking out for our best interests. That’s all you can ask of a guy that’s running the show. I’d love to see him keep on.”

Norman was on stage in New York this week spruiking the future of LIV to prospective sponsors, having told his employees when the deal was first announced that LIV was “not going anywhere”.