Tom Watson makes grim prediction on golf peace deal

If you’re sitting waiting for a deal to finally restore some kind of peace to men’s professional golf, then Tom Watson has a message for you.

Don’t hold your breath.

Holding court at The Masters this morning alongside fellow honorary starts Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, eight-time major winner Watson revealed he doesn’t anticipate the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League will be able to settle their differences.

The two warring factions raised eyebrows in June 2023 when they shared details of a framework agreement designed to merge their commercial operations.

However, almost two years and several missed deadlines later, hope is starting fade that a deal can or will be reached.

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Watson, as it turns out, is amongst the sceptics.

“I don’t see a real working mechanism for the two tours to get back together,” said the 75-year-old.

“The one thing I do know is that Scottie Scheffler in his speech at the past champions dinner on Tuesday night said, ‘I’m glad we’re all together again.’ So the players would like to get together.

“But it’s really up to the powers that be to see if there’s a framework in which the two tours can cooperate.

“I don’t see that framework happening.

“Maybe they’re smarter people than I am, but the key element of the PGA Tour, the one thing that is required of you is to get permission to play in a competing tournament, conflicting event rule.

“That’s there to protect the sponsors of our PGA Tour so that the fields are not depleted of all the good players as they go and play other tournaments. That’s the main requirement.”

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Nicklaus shares his fellow legend’s concerns but added that he believes the PGA Tour is in far better health than has been reported.

“I think LIV pushed the PGA Tour into doing some things that were a little premature for the but the PGA Tour is doing fine,” said the 18-time major champion.

“I think they’ve changed their structure. The players now own a piece of what’s going on. I think their plan of bringing along with their elevated events and their plan of bringing young players along in the other tournaments has been very successful. We’re making new stars for the game.

“I think the PGA Tour is the tour, and that’s where most of your good players are. I think it’s very healthy no matter which way it goes, but obviously we’d all like to see everybody together.”

Michael McEwan is bunkered's Head of Content 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.

Head of Content