Rory McIlroy was reportedly involved in an angry exchange at a meeting of PGA Tour players as commissioner Jay Monahan attempted to justify the shock declaration of peace in golf’s civil war.

McIlroy and Tiger Woods had established themselves as the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV Golf, but were both kept in the dark about the stunning deal announced on Tuesday.

Fellow players reacted with surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.

The announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.

Monahan faced calls to resign at a 75-minute players’ meeting which he described as “intense and certainly heated”, with his previous comments that anyone who took LIV money would never play on the PGA Tour again cited and greeted with applause, according to former player Johnson Wagner.

Golf Channel reported that Wagner had access to an audio feed of the meeting and that McIlroy told world number 227 Grayson Murray to “just play better” as Murray criticised Monahan.

Murray responded by telling McIlroy to “f*** off”, although another player, Wesley Bryan, later confirmed the exchange on social media before adding: “They were cordial and pleasant post meeting.

“We chatted as a group of players and we were laughing about the comment. No beef or hard feelings either way.”

Monahan accepted that he will be labelled a “hypocrite” but insisted the players who remained loyal to the PGA Tour had made the right decision.

“They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model,” Monahan said.

“We have significantly invested in our business in 2023, we’re going to do so in ’24. (But) we’ve had to invest back in our business through our reserves. Between our reserves, the legal fees, our underpin and our commitment to the DP World Tour and their legal fees, it’s been significant.

“But this puts us in a position where we’ve got capital that we can deploy to the benefit of our members and through our tournaments, and it gives us capital to deploy in growth businesses that ultimately will generate a return that we’ll reinvest in our players.”

Asked if the likes of Woods and McIlroy would be compensated for turning down lucrative offers from LIV, or whether those who took massive pay-outs to join the breakaway would have to pay that money back, Monahan said: “I think those are all the serious conversations that we’re going to have.

“Ultimately everything needs to be considered. Ultimately what you’re talking about is an equalisation over time and I think that’s a fair and reasonable concept.”

Rory McIlroy was set to address the media on Wednesday for the first time since the shock declaration of peace in golf’s civil war.

McIlroy and Tiger Woods had established themselves as the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV Golf, but both were kept in the dark about the stunning deal announced on Tuesday.

Fellow players reacted with surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

The announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.

Defending champion McIlroy was scheduled to give a press conference ahead of the RBC Canadian Open following the pre-tournament pro-am on Wednesday.

Former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, one of the most high-profile recruits to LIV Golf, described the agreement as “the best thing that could ever happen for the game of golf.”

He told CNN: “The fans are going to get what they want. I want the fans, the players and the game of golf to win. In the end, the game of golf wins in this scenario.

“We are better together and not apart.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan accepted he will be labelled a hypocrite and admitted players who turned down millions to join LIV Golf could be compensated.

Players reacted with surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.

Monahan faced calls to resign at a players’ meeting which he described as “intense and certainly heated”, with his previous comments that anyone who took LIV money would never play on the PGA Tour again cited and greeted with applause, according to Tour Advisory Council member Johnson Wagner.

“I recognise that people are going to call me a hypocrite,” Monahan said.

“Any time I’ve said anything I’ve said it with the information I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that’s trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players.

“I accept those criticisms but circumstances do change and I think looking at the big picture got us to this point.

“It probably didn’t seem this way to them but as I looked to those players that have been loyal to the PGA Tour, I’m confident they made the right decision.

“They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model. We have significantly invested in our business in 2023, we’re going to do so in ’24.”

Asked if the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy would be compensated for turning down lucrative offers to remain with the PGA Tour, or whether those who took pay-outs to join LIV Golf would have to pay that money back, Monahan said: “I think those are all the serious conversations that we’re going to have.

“Ultimately everything needs to be considered. Ultimately what you’re talking about is an equalisation over time and I think that’s a fair and reasonable concept.”

The manager of one high-profile DP World Tour member told the PA news agency that players were aggrieved at the lack of communication and “extremely shocked” by the decision given the long suspensions and heavy fines handed out to rebel players.

Leaders of the PGA Tour should be “ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed” in agreeing a deal with Saudi-backed LIV Golf, according to a group representing relatives of victims of 9/11.

After a turbulent year in the sport since the creation of the LIV Golf Tour, backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, a surprise deal was announced on Tuesday to work with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (the European tour) on commercial matters.

But with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) backing the new, joint venture, 9/11 Families United said it is “shocked and deeply offended” by the move which it says is “bankrolled by billions of sportswashing money”.

A statement from the group said: “Saudi operatives played a role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and now it is bankrolling all of professional golf.”

The group’s chair Terry Strada, whose husband Tom died in the World Trade Centre’s North Tower, said PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had “co-opted the 9/11 community” when the split between the tours happened.

She said: “Mr Monahan talked last summer about knowing people who lost loved ones on 9/11, then wondered aloud on national television whether LIV golfers ever had to apologise for being a member of the PGA Tour.

“They do now – as does he. PGA Tour leaders should be ashamed of their hypocrisy and greed.

“Our entire community has been betrayed by Commissioner Monahan and the PGA as it appears their concern for our loved ones was merely window dressing in their quest for money – it was never to honour the great game of golf.”

Mr Monahan said he realised people would call him a “hypocrite” after the announcement and that he “expected a lot of questions and criticisms”.

Mrs Strada’s comments follow criticism by Amnesty International which said the merger – which will see PIF governor Yasir Al Rumayyan chair the new board of governors and allow the fund exclusive rights to further investment and first refusal on any other capital – was drawing attention away from the country’s human rights record.

Amnesty International UK’s head of priority campaigns and individuals at risk Felix Jakens said: “While this may have taken some golf fans and commentators by surprise, it’s really just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing.”

“It’s been clear for some time that Saudi Arabia was prepared to use vast amounts of money to muscle its way into top-tier golf – just part of a wider effort to become a major sporting power and to try to distract attention from the country’s atrocious human rights record.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan accepted that he will be labelled a hypocrite and admitted players who turned down millions to join LIV Golf could be compensated following the shock declaration of peace in golf’s civil war.

Players reacted with surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

The stunning announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.

Monahan faced calls to resign at a players’ meeting which he described as “intense and certainly heated”, with his previous comments that anyone who took LIV money would never play on the PGA Tour again cited and greeted with applause, according to Tour Advisory Council member Johnson Wagner.

“I recognise that people are going to call me a hypocrite,” Monahan said.

“Any time I’ve said anything I’ve said it with the information I had at that moment, and I said it based on someone that’s trying to compete for the PGA Tour and our players.

“I accept those criticisms but circumstances do change and I think looking at the big picture got us to this point.

“It probably didn’t seem this way to them but as I looked to those players that have been loyal to the PGA Tour, I’m confident they made the right decision.

“They have helped re-architect the future of the PGA Tour, they have moved us to a more competitive model. We have significantly invested in our business in 2023, we’re going to do so in ’24.”

Asked if the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy would be compensated for turning down lucrative offers to remain with the PGA Tour, or whether those who took payouts to join LIV Golf would have to pay that money back, Monahan said: “I think those are all the serious conversations that we’re going to have.

“Ultimately everything needs to be considered. Ultimately what you’re talking about is an equalisation over time and I think that’s a fair and reasonable concept.”

Monahan said he could not envisage a scenario where LIV events would run concurrently with PGA Tour events from next season and said the deal enabled his organisation to take a competitor “off the board… and for us to be able to control the direction going forward”.

DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley had earlier described the deal as a “great victory for global golf”.

However, the manager of one high-profile DP World Tour member told the PA news agency that players were aggrieved at the lack of communication and “extremely shocked” by the decision given the long suspensions and heavy fines handed out to rebel players.

In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 players who committed “serious breaches” of its code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission.

The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup, where Stenson had been due to captain the European team.

Those players could now return, with the tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” to re-apply for membership, although Pelley confirmed they would need to pay their fines and serve their suspensions before being considered for reinstatement.

In response to accusations that the deal amounted to what Amnesty International described as part of the “onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Pelley said: “We brought the Saudis into the game in 2018 and we had no challenge with what they were trying to do (with the Saudi International).

“The challenge that we had is that they were playing outside the ecosystem (with LIV) and outside of the global professional golf infrastructure, and now they are playing inside it, and I’m energised by the fact that the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund) and the PGA Tour will both be working closely with the DP World Tour to grow our tour and grow it for our members.”

The announcement will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations.

An anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour was originally filed last August by 11 golfers before being taken over by LIV Golf. It was due to be heard in 2024.

PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested.

The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest in the combined entity, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and Monahan the CEO.

Pelley said he had “every confidence” that the DP World Tour would have a seat on the full board when it is finalised but admitted it was too early to tell exactly what the merger would mean for its 2024 schedule, due to be released next month.

Reaction to the merger from rank-and-file members of the PGA Tour was not positive, with Wesley Bryan writing on Twitter: “I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”

Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote: “Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”

McIlroy and Woods emerged as the biggest defenders of the PGA Tour and both had called for LIV CEO Greg Norman to step down before there could be any chance of peace talks.

Norman’s name was conspicuously absent from the announcement of the merger, while defending champion McIlroy is due to speak to the media on Wednesday ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.

Norman later wrote on Twitter: “A great day in global golf for players and fans alike. The journey continues!!”

DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley has hailed the shock declaration of peace between the game’s warring factions as a “great victory for global golf”.

Players reacted with shock, surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

The stunning announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.

The manager of one high-profile DP World Tour member told the PA news agency that players felt aggrieved at the lack of communication and were “extremely shocked” by the decision given the long suspensions and heavy fines handed out to rebel players.

In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 players who committed “serious breaches” of its code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission.

The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup.

Those players could now return, with the Tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” to re-apply for membership, although Pelley confirmed they would need to pay their fines and serve their suspensions before being considered for reinstatement.

Asked how he would respond to suggestions that the agreement represented a victory for LIV Golf, Pelley said: “I would say it’s a great victory for global golf.

“It’s a fantastic victory for the consumer, it’s great for European golf, it’s great for our members. We’re a members’ organisation and that’s always front and centre in my mind.

“This is a win for global professional golf and for the DP World Tour. We are mature grown-ups. The divisiveness is now over. We are just beginning and it’s going to be a fun ride.”

In response to accusations that the deal amounted to what Amnesty International described as part of the “onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Pelley said: “We brought the Saudis into the game in 2018 and we had no challenge with what they were trying to do (with the Saudi International).

“The challenge that we had is that they were playing outside the ecosystem (with LIV) and outside of the global professional golf infrastructure, and now they are playing inside it, and I’m energised by the fact that the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund) and the PGA Tour will both be working closely with the DP World Tour to grow our tour and grow it for our members.”

Announcing the deal, which was remarkably kept under wraps, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.

“This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV, including the team golf concept, to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”

The announcement will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations.

An anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour was originally filed last August by 11 golfers before being taken over by LIV Golf. It was due to be heard in 2024.

PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested.

The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest in the combined entity, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and Monahan the CEO.

Pelley said he had “every confidence” that the DP World Tour would have a seat on the full board when it is finalised, but admitted it was too early to tell exactly what the merger would mean for its 2024 schedule, which was due to be released next month.

Reaction to the merger from rank-and-file members of the PGA Tour was not positive, with Wesley Bryan writing on Twitter: “I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”

Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote: “I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money.

“Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods emerged as the biggest defenders of the PGA Tour and both had called for LIV CEO Greg Norman to step down before there could be any chance of peace talks.

Norman’s name was conspicuously absent from the announcement of the merger, while defending champion McIlroy is due to speak to the media on Wednesday ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.

DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley has hailed the shock declaration of peace between the game’s warring factions as a “great victory for global golf”.

Players reacted with shock, surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news the PGA Tour and DP World Tour were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

The stunning announcement came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of LIV, which held its first event from June 9-11 in 2022 in Hertfordshire.

The manager of one high-profile DP World Tour member told the PA news agency that players felt aggrieved at the lack of communication and were “extremely shocked” by the decision given the long suspensions and heavy fines handed out to rebel players.

In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 players who committed “serious breaches” of its code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission.

The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup.

Those players could now return, with the Tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” to re-apply for membership, although Pelley confirmed they would need to pay their fines and serve their suspensions before being considered for reinstatement.

Asked how he would respond to suggestions that the agreement represented a victory for LIV Golf, Pelley said: “I would say it’s a great victory for global golf.

“It’s a fantastic victory for the consumer, it’s great for European golf, it’s great for our members. We’re a members’ organisation and that’s always front and centre in my mind.

“This is a win for global professional golf and for the DP World Tour. We are mature grown-ups. The divisiveness is now over. We are just beginning and it’s going to be a fun ride.”

In response to accusations that the deal amounted to what Amnesty International described as part of the “onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Pelley said: “We brought the Saudis into the game in 2018 and we had no challenge with what they were trying to do (with the Saudi International).

“The challenge that we had is that they were playing outside the ecosystem (with LIV) and outside of the global professional golf infrastructure, and now they are playing inside it, and I’m energised by the fact that the PIF (Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund) and the PGA Tour will both be working closely with the DP World Tour to grow our tour and grow it for our members.”

Announcing the deal, which was remarkably kept under wraps, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.

“This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV, including the team golf concept, to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”

The announcement will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations.

An anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour was originally filed last August by 11 golfers before being taken over by LIV Golf. It was due to be heard in 2024.

PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested.

The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest in the combined entity, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and Monahan the CEO.

Pelley said he had “every confidence” that the DP World Tour would have a seat on the full board when it is finalised, but admitted it was too early to tell exactly what the merger would mean for its 2024 schedule, which was due to be released next month.

Reaction to the merger from rank-and-file members of the PGA Tour was not positive, with Wesley Bryan writing on Twitter: “I feel betrayed, and will not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”

Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote: “I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money.

“Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods emerged as the biggest defenders of the PGA Tour and both had called for LIV CEO Greg Norman to step down before there could be any chance of peace talks.

Norman’s name was conspicuously absent from the announcement of the merger, while defending champion McIlroy is due to speak to the media on Wednesday ahead of the RBC Canadian Open.

Players expressed shock, surprise and a sense of betrayal at the news the PGA and DP World Tours were merging their commercial operations with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series.

More than a year of contention and litigation between LIV and the established Tours and the players who joined the new competition ended in the most astonishing and abrupt fashion on Tuesday with the announcement that the three bodies had set up a new commercial entity to “unify golf”.

One American player, Wesley Bryan, replied to the PGA Tour tweet confirming the merger by writing: “Love finding out info on Twitter. This is amazing. Y’all should be ashamed and have a lot of questions to answer.

“I feel betrayed, and will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time.”

The move came as a huge surprise to many professionals, with Canadian Mackenzie Hughes tweeting: “Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.”

Fellow pro Ben An wrote: “I’m guessing the LIV teams were struggling to get sponsors and PGA Tour couldn’t turn down the money.

“Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”

Six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson, one of the players who joined LIV Golf, described the merger as “awesome news”.

The new entity will be powered by Saudi Arabia’s financial muscle, with the statement confirming the merger saying that the Middle Eastern country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) would “make a capital investment into the new entity to facilitate its growth and success”.

The PIF would also have the exclusive right to further invest in the commercial entity, the statement said.

Amnesty International expressed concern at what it saw as a further attempt by Saudi Arabia to launder its human rights record through the vehicle of sport.

“While this may have taken some golf fans and commentators by surprise, it’s really just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing,” Amnesty UK’s Felix Jakens said.

“It’s been clear for some time that Saudi Arabia was prepared to use vast amounts of money to muscle its way into top-tier golf – just part of a wider effort to become a major sporting power and to try to distract attention from the country’s atrocious human rights record.”

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers welcomed the news of the agreement, writing in a statement: “We care deeply about golf’s future and are committed to ensuring that the sport continues to thrive for many years to come.

“This agreement represents a huge step toward achieving that goal for golf and we look forward to working with the new entity for the benefit of the sport globally.”

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have agreed a shock merger to provide a “new era in global golf,” according to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan.

The stunning announcement came after a year of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

Here, the PA news agency looks at what has been announced and what will happen next.

What has been announced?

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), have signed an agreement which combines PIF’s golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour into a new, collectively owned, for-profit entity.

PIF will initially be the exclusive investor in the new entity and have the right of first refusal on any capital to be invested. The PGA Tour will appoint a majority of the board and hold a majority voting interest, with PIF’s governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan the chairman and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan the CEO.

What does this mean going forward?

The deal will lead to a “mutually-agreed” end to all pending litigation between the various organisations. In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 LIV players who committed “serious breaches” of the Tour’s code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without permission, but an anti-trust suit against the PGA Tour was ongoing.

In a memo to players, Monahan said the 2023 LIV schedule would continue as planned while a “comprehensive evaluation” of how best to integrate team golf into the professional game takes place.

What about the players?

The increased fines and suspensions that the DP World Tour was able to impose after the arbitration verdict prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for the Ryder Cup, Stenson standing down as Europe’s captain.

Those players could now return to the fold, with the tours pledging to establish a “fair and objective process” for players to re-apply for membership, although Monahan admits it will be a “complicated endeavour” and it will not be until after the end of this season.

What has the reaction been?

Unsurprisingly Phil Mickelson, who took a break from the game in the wake of his explosive comments about the Saudis and their “horrible record on human rights” before LIV Golf was launched, was in celebratory mood, writing on Twitter: “Awesome day today”. However the news went down less well with some of his fellow professionals, who appeared blindsided by the announcement.

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa wrote on social media: “I love finding out morning news on Twitter.” Former BMW PGA Championship winner Ben An wrote on Twitter: “I’m guessing the liv teams were struggling to get sponsors and pga tour couldn’t turn down the money. Win-win for both tours but it’s a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years.”

The shock announcement of a new commercial entity for golf backed by the financial power of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is “just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing”, Amnesty International has said.

The PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour have ceased their ongoing litigation and instead committed to working together on commercial matters, alongside the European Tour, currently called the DP World Tour under a sponsorship agreement.

The news has created shockwaves within the sport, with the heavy level of influence of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) in the new venture already very apparent even at this early stage.

PIF governor Yasir Al Rumayyan, will chair the new entity’s board of governors, while the statement announcing the merger said the PIF “will make a capital investment into the new entity to facilitate its growth and success”.

It added that PIF will have the exclusive right to further invest in the new entity, including a right of first refusal on any capital invested in the new entity, including into the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and DP World Tour.

Amnesty says this is further evidence of Saudi efforts to draw attention away from the country’s human rights record.

“While this may have taken some golf fans and commentators by surprise, it’s really just more evidence of the onward march of Saudi sportswashing,” Felix Jakens, Amnesty International UK’s head of priority campaigns and individuals at risk said.

“It’s been clear for some time that Saudi Arabia was prepared to use vast amounts of money to muscle its way into top-tier golf – just part of a wider effort to become a major sporting power and to try to distract attention from the country’s atrocious human rights record.

“Away from the glamour of the golf courses and the TV cameras there’s been mounting repression in Saudi Arabia, with government critics and human rights activists arrested, a spate of unfair trials, and with the death penalty widely used, including as a tool of political repression.

“The world of golf may be about to put one of its most high-profile commercial battles behind it, but it’s vital that this latest surge in Saudi sportswashing isn’t allowed to obscure the increasingly dire human rights situation in Saudi Arabia.”

American star Phil Mickelson, one of the top professionals who signed up to the LIV Golf series, was much more positive.

“Awesome day today,” he wrote in a quote-tweet about the news of the merger.

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have agreed to merge commercial operations under common ownership, the PGA Tour has announced.

The shock announcement comes after a year of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game following the launch of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

“After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love,” PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said.

“This transformational partnership recognizes the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV – including the team golf concept – to create an organization that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”

Rose Zhang enjoyed a dream start to her professional career with victory in her first event in the Mizuho Americas Open.

Zhang, who only joined the paid ranks nine days ago, defeated Jennifer Kupcho on the second hole of a play-off after the pair had finished tied on nine under par at Liberty National Golf Club.

Kupcho set the clubhouse target after a closing 69 and Zhang needed to par the 18th to win in regulation, but found a bunker off the tee and was unable to get up and down from short of the green.

The 20-year-old American is the first player to win on the LPGA Tour in their professional debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951.

“What is happening? I just can’t believe it,” said Zhang after two putts for par on the second play-off hole were enough to beat Kupcho.

“It was just last week when I won NCAAs with my teammates. To turn pro and come out here, it’s just been amazing.”

Zhang confirmed she will be taking membership on the LPGA Tour which comes with the victory – after finishing her finals at Stanford and moving next week.

“I understand there is going to be a lot of bumps in the road and I’m expecting a lot of obstacles,” she said. “But I think this is just the start. This is just a stepping stone.

“It’s crazy that this is my first win, first professional win already, but no doubt there is going to be a lot more things happening down the road.

“I’m just going to be continuing to learn inside the ropes.”

Zhang spent a record 141 weeks at the top of the women’s amateur rankings, surpassing the previous best of 135 set by Ireland’s Leona Maguire.

She became the first women’s player to win two NCAA individual titles following her successful title defence at the end of May, a victory which saw her exceed the number of wins Tiger Woods achieved at Stanford.

Zhang also won the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April and the US Women’s Amateur two years ago, as well as helping the United States to Curtis Cup wins over Great Britain and Ireland in 2021 and 2022.

Viktor Hovland defeated Denny McCarthy in a play-off to win the Memorial Tournament as Rory McIlroy suffered a disappointing final round in Ohio.

Hovland parred the first extra hole at Muirfield Village to win his fourth PGA Tour title after he and McCarthy had finished tied on seven under par.

The 25-year-old Norwegian had birdied the 15th and 17th to set the clubhouse target following a closing 70 and then saw McCarthy drop his first shot of the day on the 18th.

McCarthy then bogeyed the same hole in the play-off to miss out on a maiden PGA Tour win.

Hovland, who finished runner-up to Brooks Koepka in the US PGA Championship after a costly double bogey on the 16th hole of the final round, told CBS: “It feels even better after a few close calls the last few months.

“I didn’t really feel like I hit it my best the whole week, I just played really smart, played conservatively, really relied on my short game and I putted awesome this week.

“It’s fun to win one of these things without just ball-striking it to death. Now I can kind of rely on some other strengths as well.”

Hovland and McCarthy finished a shot ahead of world number one Scottie Scheffler, who surged through the field with a closing 67, despite ranking dead last in putting of those players who made the cut.

McIlroy began the day in a tie for the lead and was out in front when he chipped in for birdie on the fourth, but bogeyed three of the next four holes on his way to a 75 and a tie for seventh on three under par.

“I did what I wanted to do,” McIlroy said. “I thought if I could stay patient and put my ball in play off the tee, which I did pretty much all day, I only hit it in the long rough once…

“I was in the first cut three times and then the rest of the time I was in the fairway. So I did what I wanted to do, I just missed a few shots and those two bogeys on the par fives on the front nine were unforced errors.

“Once I was one over through nine holes and Denny was at eight under for the tournament, it’s hard to chase on that golf course the way it’s playing.

“I hit a couple of loose shots on the back nine that at least I know where they’re coming from, which is good, but it’s a step in the right direction.

“I feel a little better about everything compared to where I was a couple weeks ago at Oak Hill. So it’s obviously not the result that I wanted today, but I feel like there was a few more positives than there was a couple weeks ago.”

Two-time major winner Collin Morikawa, who was two off the lead heading into the final round, withdrew shortly before his tee time after suffering back spasms.

“We were doing some reflex stuff, trying to reach down and try to pick something up like quick and low,” Morikawa explained.

“I’ve hurt may back briefly before, but nothing has been this bad. I think it’s the first tournament I’ve ever withdrawn from in my entire life. It sucks because this is a tournament that I love.

“I’ve played well and put myself in contention. But I have to look out for myself and got to be smart.”

Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin produced a stunning approach to the final hole to seal his maiden DP World Tour title in style in the Porsche European Open.

McKibbin carded a final round of 70 in Hamburg to finish nine under par, two shots ahead of home favourites Marcel Siem and Max Kieffer and France’s Julien Guerrier.

The 20-year-old, who learned the game at the same club as four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, began the day in a six-way tie for the lead but birdied the fourth, seventh and ninth to move two shots clear.

Bogeys on the 11th and 13th, coupled with Kieffer’s birdie on the 16th, saw the pair tied at the top of the leaderboard, but McKibbin edged back in front with a birdie on the 15th and set up another on the par-five 18th with a nerveless second shot from 203 yards.

McKibbin, who graduated from the Challenge Tour last year and was making just his 26th start on the DP World Tour, told Sky Sports: “It’s pretty amazing.

“It was just nice to go out there and put a really, really nice round together. I always thought I was good enough to win but to prove it today was pretty special.

“I’ve learned a lot from failures, missing cuts by a shot, missing things very slightly so to take all those things I’ve learned and put them into play today was really nice.

“It probably won’t sink in until tomorrow but to have my dad here – he comes most weeks – is pretty special. To win in front of him is amazing.”

Asked about his second shot to the 18th, McKibbin added: “It’s probably one of the best shots I’ve hit.

“It was sort of tricky and it wasn’t. I was trying to hit just at the right edge of the green and if it turned over I knew the water wasn’t in play because if I turned it over it would have went further.

“It looked really good on camera I’m sure, but it was an easier shot than laying up and hitting over the water I thought.”

Rory McIlroy has moved to the lead in the Memorial despite going five holes without hitting a green, finishing the third day tied in first place with Si Woo Kim and David Lipsky at Muirfield Village on Saturday.

McIlroy did what he had to do while players around him struggled, finishing the day with two under par with four birdies and two bogeys.

“That’s what happens when conditions are like this,” McIlroy said after the day’s play. “You just have to hang on.

“I was really happy with how I scored out there, and how I just sort of hung in there for most of the day.”

The birdies came in good time for McIlroy, picking up three on the last seven holes, and finishing the day with a par, unlike he did on day one, when he hit a triple bogey on the 18th hole.

“It would mean a ton to me to win this tournament, I’ve played pretty well here over the years without really having a realistic chance to win,” McIlroy said.

“So to be able to walk up that hill from 18 and get that handshake from Jack (Nicklaus) would be pretty nice.”

McIlroy, now on six under par, will need to maintain his form into the last day with a log-jam of talent at the top of the leaderboard, with thirteen players separated by just two shots and nine others within three shots.

Friday’s leader and former Memorial winner, Hideki Matsuyama dropped dramatically in consistency, putting him in tied ninth place.

Matsuyama had five bogeys during the day and a triple bogey on the 12th hole.

Englishmen Danny Willet and Matt Fitzpatrick both had solid days with 69 and 70 respectively, finishing tied in 23rd place on two under par.

Sixteen-year-old Ryan Lue and Jodi Munn-Barrow are the early leaders at the National Senior Trials which teed off on Friday at the Half Moon Golf Course in St. James. The trials will be used to select Jamaica’s team for the 66th Caribbean Amateur Golf Championship.

Lue posted two under-par 70 to be the only golfer to post an under-par score at the end of the first round.

His scorecard showed three birdies on the front nine on holes two, eight and nine for a three under- par 33.

He then started the back nine positively with a birdie on hole number ten and was four under par at that point but was pegged back by two bogeys on holes fifteen and seventeen, to close the round with a three-stroke lead over Zandre Roye. 

Roye scored one over par 73 for his second place at the end of the round. 

Former national golf champion, Sean Morris, was a close third on two over-par 74 but four strokes off the lead. 

The 2022 national golf champion, Oshae Haye, was not far off on 75. 

The current national golf champion, William Knibbs, and Dr. Mark Newnham were holding down the fifth spot on four over par 76 each. 

The top two ladies on the course were closely bunched together and are within one shot of each other. The Jamaica Golf Association president Jodi Munn-Barrow was on nine over par 81 while Mattea Issa was in second place on ten over par 82. 

"Conditions were very difficult today. A lot of rain has fallen in Montego Bay so the course was extremely wet. While we were playing there was rain so it was very, very hard condition to play under but overall happy with the outcome. Did leave some on the course but look forward to tomorrow" said Munn-Barrow. 

The other female in the field was Anoushka Khatri who posted 93 for third place. 

The golfers are set to tee off at 9:30 am Saturday for the second round.

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