The Asian Tour is off the PGA Tour’s LIV, DPWT. Here’s what it means
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour announced on Tuesday that they are re-connecting with their long-time partner, the Asian Tour, which is leaving its relationship with LIV Golf as golf’s global restructuring continues.
What does that mean? In short, this move has implications for the global golf ecosystem, its tour categories, home to several famous venues that open up the history and future of LIV Golf, which has been dependent on the Asian Tour since its inception.
The Asian Tour has been part of the LIV ecosystem since before its first event in 2022, with the Saudi PIF sponsoring both LIV events and Asian Tour-sanctioned “International Series” events. The Asian Tour acted as a founding partner in the controversial start-up, receiving sponsorship and appearances by LIV’s top stars at some of its events in return.
But with that PIF sponsorship gone and LIV’s future up in the air, the Asian Tour has opted to align with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
“Six years ago, it was okay for us to partner with LIV Golf, but given the circumstances, we had to look at other options,” said Asian Tour CEO Cho Minn Thant. Golf Digest.
What will that alignment look like? Two things in particular:
-More co-sanctioned events between the Asian Tour and the DP World Tour for the 2027, 2028 and 2029 seasons
-Methods for the top players of the Asian Tour, who can earn cards in the DPWT or its second region, the HotelPlanner (formerly Challenge) Tour, based on their positions in the Order of Merit; players on the DPWT have a direct path to the PGA Tour
We do not know which events will be co-authored; those are expected to be announced this fall, when the DPWT begins releasing its 2027 plan.
Movement has major consequences for LIV. First, the “LIV 2.0” vision that commissioner Scott O’Neil originally released included a network of national openings managed by the Asian Tour. The league will now have to look elsewhere for the promotion and relegation program it promised to get World Ranking points.
The credibility of the Asian Tour – and its national opening – is the latest episode in an ongoing conversation about what tournaments matter and what makes them important. The DP World Tour circuit includes more than a dozen national openings, while the Asian Tour rounds out many more.
Just last year, the Masters and Open Championship featured six nationally recognized majors, 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 entered the Masters and Open when he won last fall’s Hong Kong Open by seven shots. It’s easy to imagine that returning to its former place as a co-authored event.
The release from all three tours commemorated the partnership that began in 1999 with the joint sponsorship of the Malaysian Open between what was then the European Tour and the Asian Tour. They formalized that relationship through a strategic alliance that began in 2016 and lasted until 2021 before the arrival of LIV.
The move also looks to be another step towards formalizing the tour’s international division, with the Asian Tour giving players access to the DP World Tour, where they have access to the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour has laid out plans for a new structure, starting in 2028; especially the DP World Tour and Asian Tour factor in those programs remains to be seen.
Below is what the parties involved have to say about the deal:
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour:
“We feel that the time is now right to work with the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour to develop 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. The accreditation events will not only see our members competing regularly on the world stage, but we are excited to welcome players from various other Tour tournaments in Asia.”
Ben Cowen, Chief Tournament and Operations Officer at the DP World Tour:
“We are pleased to renew our historic relationship with the Asian Tour and truly strengthen it by adding the PGA Tour to our new partnership.
“As the Global Tour of Golf, we bring together the best international talent and the official channels established by this partnership will provide unprecedented opportunities around the world for the members of the Asian Tour. Therefore our agreement not only represents the best step for golf in Asia, but also an exciting new era of collaboration for our game around the world.”
Christian Hardy, Senior Vice President of International Affairs at the PGA Tour:
“This agreement is another example of what can be achieved when organizations come together with a common 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 to that effort. Together, we are creating new opportunities for players, developing major National Opens around the world and continuing to develop and strengthen ways to identify and develop the next generation of top talent.”
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