LIV GOLF IS PUTTING PAY IN PERSPECTIVE

Upstart tour is forcing the PGA Tour to remunerate its players fairly for their value

NEW YORK - The world's two most prominent professional golf tours have for years battled over players, the moral high ground and outright survival. Now, the feud appears to be ending.

Last week, Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), owner of the upstart LIV Golf, is nearing a deal to acquire a 6 per cent stake in the PGA Tour's commercial arm, PGA Tour Enterprises.

Many fans will find it difficult to accept the two organisations coming together because it will require lovers of the sport to move on from a clash that was often about Saudi Arabia's abysmal human rights record, not golf.

And as the Gulf state continues to face accusations that it uses sports as a public relations ploy to distract from its troubling reputation, there is another uncomfortable truth to acknowledge.

Without the presence of the Saudis, professional top golfers would have continued to be undervalued by the PGA Tour.

In 2023, the PGA Tour reported US$1.82 billion (S$2.46 billion) in revenue. The money enriches golfers, especially the top ones.

That year, Rory McIlroy earned US$24.9 million in PGA-related compensation. It makes for a great payday, but unlike a National Basketball Association (NBA) player, the four-time Major champion is not a salaried employee.