Sawt Falasteen - LIV Golf begins 2024 season with future at stake in merger talks

LIV's 2024 campaign was in doubt since a framework merger agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) -- LIV Golf financial backers -- was unveiled last June to controversy.

Talks have extended beyond a December 31 deadline to reach a deal bringing all sides together in a partnership, so in the meantime, both LIV and the PGA Tour sorted out a 2024 schedule, LIV keeping its $25 million, 54-hole event format with shotgun starts and individual and team titles.

While LIV's future relies more on the secret talks, the present is focused on a 14-event campaign.

Adding to the pressure to complete the agreement were more defections to LIV, notably by Spanish star Rahm, ranked third in the world, in December and England's Tyrrell Hatton in January.

"I have no doubt this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future," Rahm said of making the jump.

"He's acting as a unifier, as a bridge to bring both sides together," said six-time major winner and long-time LIV supporter Phil Mickelson.

The PGA Tour said Wednesday that PIF talks have progressed but no deal has been finalized, so LIV enters its season opener at Mayakoba in Mexico uncertain what lies beyond.

The PGA Tour announced a deal Wednesday with Strategic Sports Group, a set of sports team owners, investing up to $3 billion into a for-profit equity company that would boost the tour and, to PGA Tour Policy Board member Jordan Spieth, make a LIV deal vital only to reunite golf's elite talent.

"I don't think that it's needed," Spieth said. "I think the short answer is we don't have to and I think the long answer is the positive there is a unification.

"It would be a situation we should try to have, but I'm not sure if or how or when it would get done."

Such uncertainty in a future PGA-LIV deal has led to LIV staging events opposite PGA "signature" tournaments as both sides compete for fans while merger talks drag along.

"It would be much better being together," world number two and PGA Tour stalwart Rory McIlroy said. "The faster we can all get back together and start to have the strongest fields possible I think is great for golf."

With LIV players banned by the PGA Tour, the major championships remain the only place where LIV and PGA stars compete against one another these days.

LIV Golf tournaments do not receive world golf ranking points, so fewer LIV players are reaching majors, generally only those golfers who have exemptions through triumphs.

Poland's Adrian Meronk and Australian Lucas Herbert were named LIV's latest players on Wednesday.

- Rahm captains Legion -

Rahm was named captain of LIV Golf's new 13th team, Legion XIII, and joined by Hatton, Zimbabwe's Kieran Vincent and American Caleb Surratt.

That means 2023 PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka, Rahm and 2022 British Open winner Cameron Smith of Australia will be familiar LIV faces at majors with other past champions but others are running out of time.

American Talor Gooch won last year's LIV Golf season individual title while DeChambeau's Crushers squad will defend the season team crown.

Other LIV stops include next week in Las Vegas ahead of the NFL Super Bowl, Jeddah and Hong Kong in March plus a Masters tuneup April 5-7 at Doral in Miami.

After events at Adelaide in April and Singapore in May, LIV goes to Houston in June for a US Open tuneup and Nashville the week after the major at Valhalla.

LIV events in Spain and England around the British Open will be followed by an August tournament at the Greenbrier in West Virginia, where DeChambeau fired a LIV-record 58 in last year's final round to win.

D.Qudsi--SF-PST