The Asian Tour has announced a new partnership with the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour, marking a significant development in global golf. This alliance, effective immediately, is set to continue until at least 2029. The collaboration aims to provide enhanced commercial and playing opportunities, as well as establish clear pathways for leading Asian Tour members to advance to the DP World Tour.
Under the terms of the agreement, playing rights for Asian Tour members on the DP World Tour will commence from the 2027 DP World Tour season. Additionally, the DP World Tour will resume co-sanctioning select tournaments with the Asian Tour starting in 2027. Details regarding these co-sanctioned events are expected to be released later this year when the 2027 DP World Tour schedule is announced. This new partnership follows a previous strategic alliance between the DP World Tour and Asian Tour, which ran from 2016 to 2021, building on a relationship that began in February 1999 with the co-sanctioning of the Malaysian Open.
New Opportunities for Golfers
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, expressed that the timing is opportune for this collaboration. He believes that uniting the three tours under one partnership will expand the reach of professional golf in Asia. Thant highlighted that co-sanctioning events will allow Asian Tour members to compete regularly on a global stage. The partnership is also expected to welcome players from the DP World Tour and PGA Tour to pinnacle events in Asia, showcasing the region’s golf strength and diversity.
Ben Cowen, Chief Tournament and Operations Officer for the DP World Tour, noted the re-establishment and strengthening of their historical relationship with the Asian Tour, now with the inclusion of the PGA Tour. Cowen emphasized that the formal pathways created by this partnership will offer unprecedented international opportunities for Asian Tour members, representing a positive step for golf in Asia and a new era of global collaboration.
Christian Hardy, Senior Vice President of International at the PGA Tour, echoed these sentiments, viewing the agreement as an example of what can be achieved when organizations share a common vision for professional golf’s future. Through its existing strategic alliance with the DP World Tour, the PGA Tour has been working to build a more connected global golf ecosystem, and the Asian Tour’s inclusion is seen as a continuation of this effort. Hardy stated that the collaboration aims to create new opportunities for players, enhance key National Opens worldwide, and strengthen pathways for identifying and developing elite talent.
Implications for LIV Golf
The announcement of this partnership reportedly caught LIV Golf by surprise. According to one report, LIV CEO Scott O’Neil learned about the deal only recently. LIV Golf has historically had a connection with the Asian Tour, with a pathway that allowed players to earn a spot on LIV through the International Series Rankings. Players finishing first and second in these rankings would gain entry to the LIV Golf League the following season, a pathway that has been in place and adjusted since 2022.
However, this new alliance between the Asian Tour, DP World Tour, and PGA Tour raises questions about the future of LIV Golf’s relationship with the Asian Tour. The pathway for players to LIV Golf through the Asian Tour appears to be closing off. This development comes amidst reports that the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia plans to withdraw funding from the LIV Golf League at the end of the 2026 season.
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil is reportedly seeking significant investment to sustain the circuit. The new partnership is seen as a setback for LIV Golf, potentially impacting its ability to link with various national opens in Asia and further complicating its future. Rory McIlroy commented on social media, describing the deal as positive news and beneficial for international golf, highlighting the tours working together.
The DP World Tour will return to co-sanctioning tournaments with the Asian Tour starting in 2027.
Source: yahoo.com