The idea of a co-sanctioned team event between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf was a bad plan from the start. Smylie Kaufman recently revealed the details of a proposal that never made it to the schedule. He described the concept as “horrendous” and noted that “it sounded so bad” to those inside the game. This news comes as LIV Golf faces bankruptcy after the Saudi Public Investment Fund withdrew support in September. The failure to merge the tours might actually be a blessing for the sport.
A Fatigue-Filled Schedule Nightmare
The proposed event would have forced top stars to play after grueling tournament stretches. Kaufman told The Smylie Show that players like Scottie Scheffler would have been asked to compete right after a three-week run. The plan involved Scheffler, Viktor Hovland, Collin Morikawa, and Justin Thomas acting as captains. These leaders were supposed to pick teams mixing PGA Tour players with LIV golfers. The schedule could have included four to six of these events every single year. No top player would agree to that level of wear and tear.
Kaufman pointed out the physical toll on the game’s best competitors. He asked how anyone could expect Scheffler to show up for an exhibition team event after playing Bay Hill and the Players Championship. The idea of forcing players to do this multiple times a year was simply unrealistic. The financial incentive might have been high, but the cost to player health and tournament quality was too great. This arrangement would have hurt so many tour events across the calendar.
The European Tour Draws a Hard Line
While the US tours discuss past failures, the European tour is taking a firm stance on current player choices. Guy Kinnings, CEO of the European tour, issued a clear ultimatum on Monday regarding LIV Golf members. He stated that “Players need to make a choice,” and anyone joining LIV cannot remain a European tour member, according to Yahoo Sports. The tour previously allowed players to keep their membership if they paid fines for conflicting events. That era of compromise is over as the tours separate.
Kinnings emphasized that the tour has strict rules to protect its members and the integrity of the game. “As we have said for many years, we have rules and regulations which are there to protect our tour and which our members must all abide by,” Kinnings said. The European tour will terminate membership if players lie about where they intend to play in 2027. This decision adds pressure for Ryder Cup hopefuls like Tyrrell Hatton, who must be a European tour member to compete next September.
The split highlights the messy reality of the current golf landscape. Since its 2022 launch, LIV Golf has invested over $5 billion, yet now relies on a 10-tournament season featuring new equity models. Players have until Oct. 25 to decide their future, a deadline that could determine if the circuit survives bankruptcy.
