Asian Tour chief: 'LIV Golf is here to stay – other federations need to embrace it'

The head of the Asian Tour has described the defection of PGA Tour stars such Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson to the LIV Golf Invitational Series as inevitable, warning that others will follow suit and advising golf’s existing federations to start working with the Saudi-funded circuit rather than against them.

In an interview with Telegraph Sport, Cho Minn Thant, the chief executive of the Asian Tour, which has already partnered with LIV Golf, said it was short-sighted of the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour to try to “shut the door” on the Saudis.

“It's a real shame that we're the only federation amongst the six federations that is fully embracing this,” Cho said. “I feel like if the tours got together and said ‘Look, you've obviously got a massive backing from the PIF [Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund]. LIV Golf is here to stay. Let's work together. Work out how we can build the best possible product, which can coexist with the majors, the Ryder Cup, the PGA Tour and, and the European Tour…I mean, we could be somewhere completely different right now. 

“It's disappointing that the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour have just shut the door and said ‘We treat you as competitors. And there’s going to be no dialogue between us.'"

Johnson’s bombshell that he was resigning his PGA Tour membership in order to play all eight events of the fledgling $255m (£200m) LIV Golf Invitational Series, which starts on Thursday at Centurion Club near London, has stunned the game. The 37 year-old joined the PGA Tour in 2007 and has won $74m in his career. 

But Cho warned that Johnson - who is reportedly received a signing on fee $150m fees to play in the series - would not be alone in making the move. DeChambeau has also sinced joined,