Donald Trump celebrates 'glorious' PGA Tour and LIV Golf merger

PGA, European Tour and LIV end contentious stand-off after major agreement

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Former US president Donald Trump celebrated a major agreement between the world's largest golf organisations, after the PGA, European Tour and LIV Golf announced a merger that has ended a lengthy stand-off.

“Great news from LIV golf. A big, beautiful and glamorous deal for the wonderful world of golf,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social media platform after the merger was announced.

As part of the agreement, the three tours are dropping all lawsuits levied against each other.

Mr Trump was one of the earliest backers of LIV Golf, whose inaugural season last year caused a rift between many of the sport's biggest champions.

He had urged players on the PGA to join the rival league last year.

Three of LIV's 12 events have been hosted by Mr Trump's courses, most recently at Trump National Golf Club outside Washington.

The three organisations will engage in processes for any suspended players to reapply for membership with the PGA or DP World Tour following this season.

Among those players would be five-time major champion Brooks Koepka. Other big-name American golfers include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and others.

Reactions from golfers show how divided the sport has become since the split.

While LIV's Phil Mickelson and Koepka celebrated the announcement, PGA stars including Collin Morikawa and others expressed dismay that the tour did not inform them of the decision.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, the PGA's most vocal defenders in the last year, have yet to publicly comment.

Mr Trump's relationship with the PGA grew contentious after the January 6, 2021, insurrection, when a mob of his supporters stormed the US Capitol Building in an effort to halt the certification of the 2020 presidential election.

Days later, the PGA announced it had terminated an agreement to play the 2022 PGA Championships at Mr Trump's golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.

The Trump Organisation entered into a legal dispute with the PGA Tour over the decision. The two parties reached a settlement in 2021.

Updated: June 07, 2023, 5:58 AM