Golf’s warring factions miss merger deadline day to leave future still in flux | Ewan Murray

PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf pledged to outline their plans by the year's end but details remain murky

The concept of peace in our golfing time was always more interesting than the level of detail required to turn that dream into a reality. The sporting world was rocked by the announcement on 6 June that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund would combine to form a new entity. Vitriol attached to LIV's march on to the scene would supposedly vanish on the basis those controlling the elite game had decided to kiss and make up.

Another date, 31 December, became key. The parties had identified the end of 2023 as the cut-off point to turn a framework agreement into something binding. This always looked a hugely optimistic target.