Asian Tour exits LIV for PGA Tour, DPWT. Here's what that means

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced on Tuesday that they were reconnecting with an old friend, the Asian Tour, which is exiting its relationship with LIV Golf as golf's global realignment continues.

What does that mean? In short, the move has ramifications for the global golf ecosystem, the hierarchy of its respective tours, the home of several historic national opens and the future of LIV Golf, which had leaned on the Asian Tour since its inception.

The Asian Tour had been part of LIV's ecosystem since before its first event in 2022, with the Saudi PIF funding both LIV and the Asian Tour-sanctioned "International Series" events. The Asian Tour served as an established ally for the controversial startup, receiving funding plus the appearance of high-profile LIV stars at some of its events in return.

But with that PIF funding gone and LIV's future up in the air, the Asian Tour has chosen to align with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

"Six years ago, it was right for us to do a partnership with LIV Golf, but given the circumstances now, we've had to look at other options," Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant told Golf Digest.

What will that alignment look like? Two things specifically:

-Multiple co-sanctioned events between the Asian Tour and DP World Tour for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons

-Pathways for Asian Tour top players, who can earn cards on the DPWT or its secondary circuit, the HotelPlanner (formerly Challenge) Tour, based on their positions in the Order of Merit; players on the DPWT have a direct pathway to the PGA Tour

We don't know which events will be co-sanctioned; those are expected to be announced this fall, when the DPWT begins to release its 2027 schedule.

The move has major ramifications for LIV. For one thing, the "LIV 2.0" vision that commissioner Scott O'Neil has pitched initially included a network of national opens owned by the Asian Tour. The league will also now have to look elsewhere for the promotion and relegation system it promised in order to earn World Ranking points.

The Asian Tour's loyalties - and its national opens - are just the latest episode in an ongoing conversation around which tournaments matter and what makes them matter. The DP World Tour's circuit includes more than a dozen national opens, while the Asian Tour revolves around several more.

Just last year, the Masters and Open Championship formalized pathways from six national opens it deemed significant, including four co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, as well as the Japan Open on the Japan Tour and the Hong Kong Open on the Asian Tour. LIV golfer Tom McKibbin earned his way into the Masters and Open when he won last fall's Hong Kong Open by seven shots. It's easy to imagine that return to its former place as a co-sanctioned event.

A release from all three tours recalled a relationship that began in 1999 with the co-sanctioning of the Malaysian Open between what was then the European Tour and the Asian Tour. They formalized that relationship with a strategic alliance that ran from 2016 to 2021 before LIV's arrival.

The move also seems like another step in formalizing a global hierarchy of tours, with the Asian Tour giving players access to the DP World Tour, from which point they gain access to the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour has laid out plans for a new structure, beginning in 2028; specifically how the DP World Tour and Asian Tour factor into those plans remains to be seen.

Below are what each of the respective parties had to say about the agreement:

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour:

"We feel the time is now right to collaborate with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour to enhance the Asian Tour for our members, fans and partners. Bringing the three Tours together under one partnership will increase the bandwidth of the professional game in Asia. Not only will co-sanctioning events see our members competing regularly on the global stage, but we are excited to welcome players from the other Tours to our pinnacle events, which showcase the strength and diversity of golf in Asia."

Ben Cowen, Chief Tournament and Operations Officer for the DP World Tour:

"We are delighted to rekindle our historic relationship with the Asian Tour and indeed strengthen it with the addition of the PGA Tour to our new partnership.

"As Golf's Global Tour, we bring together the best international talent and the formal pathways established by this partnership will provide unprecedented international opportunities for Asian Tour members. Our agreement therefore represents not only a hugely positive step for golf in Asia, but also an exciting new era of collaboration for our game globally."

Christian Hardy, Senior Vice President of International at the PGA Tour:

"This agreement is another example of what can be accomplished when organizations come together with a shared vision for the future of professional golf.

"Through our Strategic Alliance with the DP World Tour, we have worked to build a more connected global golf ecosystem, and we are excited to welcome the Asian Tour into that effort. Together, we are creating new opportunities for players, enhancing key National Opens around the world and continuing to evolve and strengthen pathways to identify and develop the next generation of elite talent."

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