The LIV Golf vs PGA Tour saga has been ramped up over the past fortnight, with the Saudi-backed series reportedly set to announce five new signings following the culmination of the Tour Championship. At the same time, it has been reported that players in the PGA Tour discussed the possibility of 18 no-cut tournaments between the top 60 players battling for $20m purses.
Currently though, the big talking point surrounds the next batch of players reportedly moving to LIV Golf. However, according to the No Laying Up Podcast, it seems that one influential player is staying on the PGA Tour, with Japanese star, Hideki Matsuyama, reportedly committed to the Tour.
🚨#NEW: On the NLU pod, they’ve heard that Hideki Matsuyama is committed to the PGA TOUR. If true, a huge development. Matsuyama was going to be a huge get for LIV https://t.co/Tf2hXxCLDjAugust 22, 2022
During the No Laying Up Podcast, it was stated that: "All indications that we have gotten from everyone involved in the Tour; every player, every agent and everyone we have spoken to in the last week, every sponsor, has said they believe that Hideki will be committed to the PGA Tour despite not being in this meeting."
The meeting in question surrounds last week’s BMW Championship, where over 20+ of the PGA Tour's biggest stars, including Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were reportedly present.
During that meeting, players like Cameron Smith, Sungjae Im and Matsuyama were not present, with the reason for their absences unclear. However, it has been reported by a number of outlets that Smith is set to move to the Saudi-backed series, accepting a deal over $100 million in the process.
Smith recently stated in an interview with Sky Sports that he is "ready to cop some heat" after dropping a major LIV Golf hint
If Matsuyama were to stay with the PGA Tour it would be a significant win for them, given the 30-year-old is the most recognised and successful Asian player in golf right now and how he is one of the game's 'needle movers'.
It had been reported that the Japanese star had been offered a deal in the region of $400 million, such was the impact he would bring regarding TV deals, sponsorships and publicity.
Along with Matsuyama, it was reported that Woods and McIlroy have teamed up to launch a technology-driven venture that will see the PGA Tour’s biggest names face off against each other in sports stadiums.
According to Golfweek, there will be a series of one-day events designed to complement the PGA Tour, starting in 2024 and, while details of what the showdowns will entail are sketchy, it’s thought the events, held in front of sell-out stadium crowds, would run from January to March, building towards a finale to be held at a later date.
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