Asian Tour joins European-PGA alliance in setback for LIV Golf
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy watching his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the British Open on July 19.
PHOTO: REUTERS
PARIS – The PGA Tour and Europe-based DP World Tour announced on July 21 a multi-year partnership with the Asian Tour that had served as a key feeder to LIV Golf.
Through their existing strategic alliance, the PGA Tour and DP World Tour will now partner the Asian Tour to establish a formal pathway for the latter’s leading members for at least the next three years.
“Positive news and great to see respective tours working together for the good of international golf,” world No. 2 Rory McIlroy wrote on social media.
As part of the partnership, which is effective immediately, the DP World Tour will return to co-sanctioning select tournaments with the Asian Tour from 2027 after previously linking up on a strategic alliance from 2016 to 2021.
Details of the tournaments involved will be announced later in 2026 when the DP World Tour unveils its schedule for next season.
“We are delighted to rekindle our historic relationship with the Asian Tour and indeed strengthen it with the addition of the PGA Tour to our new partnership,” DP World Tour chief tournament and operations officer Ben Cowen said in a joint press statement.
Their relationship dates back even further, to 1999, when the Malaysian Open became the first event jointly sanctioned by the two tours.
The Asian Tour had been in a partnership with LIV Golf since before the Saudi-funded league held its inaugural event in June 2022.
Through their partnership, LIV had invested US$300 million (S$387.2 million) in the Asian Tour to create a set of 10 lucrative events known as the International Series and featuring purses of at least US$2 million.
But Asian Tour commissioner and chief executive Cho Minn Thant said the “time is now right” to collaborate with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour to enhance the Asian Tour for its members, fans and partners.
“Bringing the three tours together under one partnership will increase the bandwidth of the professional game in Asia,” said Cho. “Not only will co-sanctioning events see our members competing regularly on the global stage, but we are excited to welcome players from the other tours to our pinnacle events, which showcase the strength and diversity of golf in Asia.”
When asked for a reaction to the partnership, a LIV spokesperson said it had no official statement.
The latest realignment comes after Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund said earlier in 2026 it would stop funding the breakaway LIV league after the 2026 season.
Christian Hardy, the PGA Tour’s senior vice-president of international, called the three-tour alliance an example of collaboration by tours “with a shared vision for the future of professional golf”. REUTERS, AFP