LIV defector Bryson DeChambeau recently spoke about the ongoing merger discussions between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. During a pre-tournament news conference at Trump National Doral, Miami, the 30-year-old golfer argued that the deal should be finalized swiftly rather than prolonging the process for years.
DeChambeau emphasized that there is a decline in fan interest in the sport and stressed the importance of all players coming together to reignite that passion among fans. He also noted that while golfers can offer suggestions to the governing bodies, it’s ultimately up to them to devise the most effective strategy to finalize the deal.
“Well there’s multiple ways that you can solve this problem. I think that from a player’s perspective, it needs to come back together for the fans, No. 1. The fans are what drive this sport. If we don’t have fans, we don’t have golf.”
He further added:
“We all love this game and we want to keep playing it and we want to keep competing.”
⛳️ #DEAL OR NO DEAL? — Bryson DeChambeau says people are ‘losing interest’ in golf and a deal ‘needs to happen fast’ for the good of the sport: “Well there’s multiple ways that you can solve this problem. I think that from a player’s perspective, it needs to come back… pic.twitter.com/QWbFymXYni
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) April 3, 2024
DeChambeau lastly shared his desire to compete weekly against all of the world’s top players, further advocating for unity among golfers.
It should be noted that last year, in June 2023, the PGA Tour initially announced the plans for a merger, and the deadline for establishing a framework was set for December 31. However, the PGA Tour extended the deal involving the Saudi Public Investment Fund into 2024. The talks are still ongoing and nothing is confirmed yet about the same.
Bryson DeChambeau Is Not The Only LIV Golfer Who Wants The Best Players To Compete Together
In addition to DeChambeau, numerous other LIV golfers are eager to see the merger occur soon and for the better. One of them is Phil Mickelson who expressed his desire to witness the world’s top golfers competing together. He added that despite ongoing discussions, the future will look promising once the merger takes place.
Phil Mickelson said (via ESPN):
“But right now, we are in the disruption phase, so we are in the middle of the process. And when it’s all said and done, it’s going to be a lot brighter. But while we go through it, it’s challenging. But we’ll get there.”
Additionally, Jon Rahm who recently joined the LIV league for its third season, also believes the merger could elevate the game of golf to new heights on a global scale. He was quoted saying:
“A little bit more variety doesn’t really hurt anybody. So I think, properly done, we can end up with a much better product that can take golf to the next level worldwide, and I’m hoping that’s what ends up happening.”
Although it’s still uncertain when the top golfers from both tours will compete together, Bryson DeChambeau will have the opportunity to play against them soon, with the Masters tournament just a week away.
