The PGA Tour has refused to grant releases for players seeking to play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series opener next month.
The Saudi Arabia-backed, eight-tournament series, which has former world No 1 Greg Norman at its head, is scheduled to begin on June 9 at Centurion Golf Club outside London – meaning it would conflict with the RBC Canadian Open on America’s lead circuit.
On Tuesday, reports emerged that the PGA Tour had sent a memo to its members saying no releases would be granted.
"We have notified those who have applied that their request has been declined in accordance with the PGA Tour Tournament Regulations," senior VP & chief of operations at the PGA Tour, Tyler Dennis, said in the email.
"As such, Tour members are not authorised to participate in the Saudi Golf League's London event under our regulations. As a membership organisation, we believe this decision is in the best interest of the PGA Tour and its players."
The PGA Tour, who have in the past granted releases for non-PGA Tour events, has maintained that those choosing to play in the rival LIV Golf series would face disciplinary action, opening the door to potential lifetime bans.
Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson is among the players who have requested a release to play at Centurion, along with three-time European No 1 Lee Westwood. Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, is another said to have asked to participate in the tournament in England.
On Tuesday, Norman responded via a statement: "Sadly, the PGA Tour seems intent on denying professional golfers their right to play golf, unless it's exclusively in a PGA Tour tournament.
"But no matter what obstacles the PGA Tour puts in our way, we will not be stopped. We will continue to give players options that promote the great game of golf globally."
At present, the LIV Golf series will offer purses of $25 million per tournament, ensuring all eight events are more lucrative than the richest stop on the PGA Tour. Earlier on Tuesday, Norman, the LIV Golf CEO, said the series had recently secured an additional $2 billion in funding, for 10 events next year and a 14-tournament league in 2024.
"We're going to grow the game, give more opportunities to players, and create a more entertaining product for fans," Norman said. "We believe in adding new experiences and energy to golf, and that includes building out our future schedule in more global markets.
"We're creating an entertaining product that will increase golf participation and attract new fans across a broader global footprint. We realise it won't happen overnight, and we're excited for the opportunities LIV Golf will add to the game as we continue to grow."
Norman said 19 of the world's top 100 players and five of the top 50 were committed to the inaugural event at Centurion.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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PROFILE OF CURE.FIT
Started: July 2016
Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori
Based: Bangalore, India
Sector: Health & wellness
Size: 500 employees
Investment: $250 million
Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)
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What are the regulations?
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