MIAMI: The LIV Golf League released its 2024 regular-season schedule on Wednesday even as merger talks continue between LIV’s Saudi backers and the US PGA Tour over a framework agreement. The campaign runs from February to August with 12 events in eight nations and is to be followed by LIV’s individual and team championship tournaments, details of which were not announced.
Some of LIV’s events are opposite US PGA Tour signature events, a signal that golf’s civil war could heat up next year if no merger deal is finalized. The fracture began in 2022 when several top PGA names departed for LIV and were banned from PGA events.
The PGA Tour Policy Board must approve any deal by the end of the year for a merger to be completed under a deal with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) that PGA officials announced in June. Since then, other groups have sought equity deals with the PGA Tour.
LIV’s 2024 campaign is set to open February 2-4 at Mayakoba in Mexico — opposite a PGA signature event at Pebble Beach — with the next event in Las Vegas on February 8-10 just ahead of the Super Bowl being played in the Nevada gambling showplace.
LIV will play in Saudi Arabia on March 1-3 and at the Hong Kong Golf Club on March 8-10 - opposite a US PGA signature stop at Bay Hill - with another event at an unspecified US layout on April 5-7 on the week before the Masters. Adelaide will play host to LIV Golf on April 26-28 with a Singapore stop on May 3-5.
LIV will play in Houston on June 7-9 - opposite the Jack Nicklaus-hosted PGA signature event The Memorial - on the week before the US Open at Pinehurst and LIV talent will tee off in Nashville on June 21-23 opposite a PGA signature event, the Travelers Championship.
A Spanish tournament will be played July 12-14 at Valderrama ahead of the British Open at Royal Troon with a LIV event at the JCB Golf and Country Club in Staffordshire, England, on July 26-28.
The regular-season finale, another US event, will be contested at Greenbrier in West Virginia on August 16-18 - opposite the first weekend of the US PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup playoffs. "We’re thrilled to announce an exciting slate of events that reflects our commitment to bringing world-class players and premier competition to new and repeat markets every year,” LIV Golf commissioner Greg Norman said. — AFP