PGA Tour, LIV Golf, DP World Tour unify 'under one umbrella' - ESPN

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf League, which have been embroiled in a bitter legal battle for more than a year, have agreed to unify and move forward in a larger commercial business, the circuits announced Tuesday.

The tours called the stunning development «a landmark agreement… on a global basis.»

«There's been a lot of tension in our sport over the last couple years,» PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told CNBC on Tuesday. «What we're talking about today is coming together to unify the game of golf, and to do so under one umbrella.

»… We've recognized that together, we can have a far greater impact on this game than we can working apart.… The game of golf is better for what we've done here today."

The landmark deal between the tours and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) was reached without the knowledge of many PGA Tour members and LIV Golf players and agents.

Said one PGA Tour player reached by ESPN on Tuesday, «No f---ing way.»

A golf agent, who represents a couple of high-profile LIV Golf players, told ESPN that he was unaware of the merger.

«You just made my heart skip a few beats,» the agent said, before the deal was officially announced.

And everyone thought yesterday was the longest day in golf

I'm guessing the liv teams were struggling to get sponsors and pga tour couldn't turn down the money. Win-win for both tours but it's a big lose for who defended the tour for last two years

Said Phil Mickelson on Twitter: «Awesome day today,» with a happy face emoji.

In a statement, the circuits said the parties have signed an agreement that «combines PIF's golf-related commercial businesses and rights (including LIV Golf) with the commercial businesses and rights of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour into