Martin Kaymer believes that golf is on the right track after the unexpected peace pact between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour with the LIV Tour, which had previously been hostile and financed from Saudi Arabia.
“It’s always better to have peace. I’ve never been a fan of making peace with money. In that case it’s a good story because golf isn’t suffering from it anymore and we can really move forward now.” said the two-time major winner on Wednesday of the German Press Agency. He’s been playing on the LIV tour so far.
On Tuesday, the three golf tours announced in a joint press release that they had reached a “groundbreaking agreement to unify the sport of golf” and that they would work together in the future. According to this, the Saudi Arabian state fund PIF (Public Investment Fund), which was previously involved in the LIV Tour, is now also to be a shareholder and donor of a new joint organization.
Cooperation meets with incomprehension
But the future cooperation, which was secretly negotiated by the officials, is met with a lack of understanding, especially among many PGA professionals. PGA boss Jay Monahan had to be insulted as a hypocrite in a meeting with players on the sidelines of the Canadian Open in Toronto, as US media reported, citing participants. Monahan had clearly positioned himself against the LIV Tour in the past. “I feel betrayed and (…) will not be able to trust anyone on the corporate side of the PGA for a very long time,” tweeted US professional Wesley Bryan.
Kaymer and other golfers joined the multi-million dollar LIV tour last year. As a result, the players were fined and suspended. Last week, the 38-year-old from Mettmann resigned from his membership on the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour). When and how Kaymer and the other LIV players can return to the other two tours is not yet certain.
Kaymer surprised
Kaymer also had no idea that the agreement would come so quickly. “I was definitely surprised when I got a call from Saudi Arabia.” A board member of the PIF then informed him about the agreement. “He also told me that that was the plan from the start.”