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‘The hell is going on?’ Players, fans and others react to PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger

By: Jack Hirsh

June 6, 2023

PGA Tour players were not happy on Twitter.

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PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan looks on during Day Four of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 10, 2022 in North Berwick, Scotland. — PGA Tour players were not happy on Twitter.

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The golf world was rocked Tuesday morning with the game-changing news of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour merging with LIV Golf.

Golf Twitter quickly went into a frenzy.

The announcement signaled the end of a nearly two-year-long battle between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf that led to suspensions and fines for players who jumped ship to play for the new tour.

Details of the agreement are still scarce, but the news hit everyone right at the same time. Players and fans alike learned some of the biggest news ever in professional golf from Twitter.

Safe to say many PGA Tour players weren’t pleased not to get any heads up from the PGA Tour before the announcement at about 10:00 a.m ET.

And everyone thought yesterday was the longest day in golf
— Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) June 6, 2023

Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.
— Mackenzie Hughes (@MacHughesGolf) June 6, 2023

I feel betrayed, and will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time

— Wesley Bryan (@wesleybryangolf) June 6, 2023

The hell is going on?
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 6, 2023

Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right? 🤷🏻‍♂️
— Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) June 6, 2023

I’ve grown up being a fan of the 4 Aces. Maybe one day I get to play for them on the PGA Tour!
— Joel Dahmen (@Joel_Dahmen) June 6, 2023

Now that we’re all friends, is it too late for us to workshop some of these team names? pic.twitter.com/O8EDVqKClz

— max homa (@Maxhoma) June 6, 2023

I’m guessing the liv teams were struggling to get sponsors and pga tour couldn’t turn down the money. Win-win for both tours
but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years
— Byeong Hun An (@ByeongHunAn) June 6, 2023

Can I also say that I love @PhilMickelson and everything he’s said the past two years has been spot on. He went up in flames in the media cuz of his brutal honesty and now everyone’s finally realizing he was right and the PGA Tour does whatever they feel like 😂😂😂
— Dylan Wu (@dylan_wu59) June 6, 2023

Was having quite the nice practice session this morning too pic.twitter.com/qWBKuM2yHO
— Justin Thomas (@JustinThomas34) June 6, 2023

Can’t wait for the next players meeting 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🥲🤣🤣🤣🤣 @PGATOUR

— Jhonattan Vegas (@JhonattanVegas) June 6, 2023

Surprised that this merger has happened so quickly but not surprised it’s happened. Definitely in the financial interest of both sides. Definitely in the financial interest of the players even though some of those who gain will feel like they’re losing. Good for the cohesion of…
— Padraig Harrington (@padraig_h) June 6, 2023

pic.twitter.com/dndiYfJ12u
— Tyrrell Hatton (@TyrrellHatton) June 6, 2023

A few LIV golfers, like Phil Mickelson, also reacted in real-time to the announcement. Mickelson remained somewhat cryptic in response to one tweet by No Laying Up’s Chris Solomon. Brooks Koepka, meanwhile, took the chance to take a shot a Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee who had been vocal in his disdain for LIV Golf.

Awesome day today 😊 https://t.co/qUwVJiydym

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2023

Not exactly
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2023

Welfare Check on Chamblee
— Brooks Koepka (@BKoepka) June 6, 2023

Soo can I play tpc sugarloaf again? @PGATOUR
— Andy Ogletree (@andy_ogletree) June 6, 2023

Time to get on the bush hog

— Harold Varner III (@HV3_Golf) June 6, 2023

https://twitter.com/camtringale/status/1666133464372981798?s=46&t=meURTO4SQVHNoMmYz9idlw

The story was broken by CNBC at the same time the PGA Tour sent a press release, leading to media members also reacting to the announcement with shock.

So, you preach loyalty to a tour and convince guys not to take 8 and 9 figure deals based, in part, on that loyalty and, in part, on the source of the money. Then those guys find out on Twitter YOU took the very same money?

Nino Brown, “Always business, never personal.”
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) June 6, 2023

Greg Norman and Jay Monahan greeting each other at work every morning pic.twitter.com/bqVjEwDWWF
— Tim Reilly (@LifeOfTimReilly) June 6, 2023

Good time make a golf show! https://t.co/AQZc4KGOdY

— Chad Mumm (@chadmumm) June 6, 2023

Virtually everything that has happened in the last two years has been rumored, hinted at, or at least done with SOME awareness in the golf community.

This seems to be an absolute stunner for essentially everyone, players included.
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 6, 2023

I’ve been enjoying a little break after turning in the book – so nice to unplug. I think I’ll go camping this morning somewhere without cell reception. Feels great that I won’t have to make any major changes to the manuscript.
— Alan Shipnuck (@AlanShipnuck) June 6, 2023

pic.twitter.com/fOsilKo9jL
— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) June 6, 2023

Truly gobsmacked today.

Of the 10,000 different outcomes, this was never talked about, never discussed, never even floated. Everyone who would have known was at the PGA two weeks ago, and nobody even came close to hinting at it!

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) June 6, 2023

This really is our own Succession finale. In retrospect, it seems obvious. And yet still shocking.
— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 6, 2023

PGA Tour didn’t communicate this to players at all. They found out same time we did.

“Shocked and confused.”

“Disgusted. They didn’t tell us anything.”
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 6, 2023

More people have texted me today than any other life event.
— No Laying Up (@NoLayingUp) June 6, 2023

I genuinely feel sorry for someone like Hideki Matsuyama. He reportedly turned down about $300 million … and now his loyalty to the tour doesn’t mean much
— Stephen Hennessey (@S_HennesseyGD) June 6, 2023

The golf world right now.. pic.twitter.com/RRtdXFbYNJ
— Smylie Kaufman (@SmylieKaufman10) June 6, 2023

Like it or not, the bottom line is that the Saudis now own golf.
— Mike Francesa (@MikeFrancesa) June 6, 2023