The bitter split dubbed "golf's civil war" ended last week with a surprise merger between Saudi Arabia's LIV Golf venture and the PGA Tour and European Tour—and insiders say the peace deal will include some Saudi money for PGA loyalists who turned down enticements to join the rival league last year. Sources tell the Times of London that the Saudi investment fund behind LIV Golf plans to create a compensation fund for stars like Rory McIlroy who stayed out of the breakaway league a year ago while others reaped massive financial rewards, including Phil Mickelson, who reportedly received $200 million.
According to the Times' sources, Mickelson and others will keep what they were paid but leading PGA golfers will receive payments from a compensation fund to "level up." Insiders say details are still being hammered out. "It is a plan that is not in final form or has final agreement," one source says. "There are some people talking about this but it is not agreed yet [nor] is it a fait accompli."
Fox News reports that PGA CEO Jay Monahan has been taking flak from loyalists over the deal, with Jon Rahm calling it "a bit of betrayal." Last week, McIlroy said he felt like a "sacrificial lamb." The PGA said this week that Monahan, 53, is recovering from a medical condition and has handed day-to-day control to other execs, the AP reports. (More golf stories.)
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