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LIV Golf has responded to the PGA Tour announcing a shake-up of its current schedule and significantly increasing its prize money, saying: You’ve confirmed that our format is better.

Speaking at TPC River Highlands ahead of this week’s Travelers Championship, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan dismissed the Saudi-funded start-up as an “irrational threat” intent on buying the game of golf and “dismantling the institutions that are intrinsically invested in its growth”.

At the same time, he unveiled plans for a new-look PGA Tour schedule that will see the FedEx Cup contested from January to August from 2024, as well as significant prize fund increases for some of the tour’s biggest events effective from 2023. 

• Rory brands LIV defectors “duplicitous”

• PGA Tour chief calls LIV an “irrational threat” 

They include the flagship PLAYERS Championship, which goes from $20m to $25m, whilst the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Genesis Invitational, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and Memorial Tournament will all jump from $12m to $20m.

Now, LIV Golf has responded.

A LIV Golf spokesperson told bunkered.co.uk: “The [PGA] Tour today has made the case for LIV Golf. They have underpaid players for years, failed to innovate and today confirmed that LIV’s format is better. 

“We welcome the announcement, which proves competition can grow the game and benefit golfers, all the while improving the experience for fans – which is exactly what LIV is doing. 

• LIV players allowed to play Open

• The 150th Open: The field in full

“Instead of banning players, the Tour should now work on co-existing with us. After all, we’re just getting started.”

At the same time as Monahan was meeting the press, LIV Golf announced its latest marquee signing, with former world No.1 and four-time major champion Brooks Koepka jumping ship from the PGA Tour. 

He goes straight into the field – also confirmed today – for next week’s second LIV Golf event in Portland.


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Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor

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