Players, fans react to PGA Tour

PGA Tour players were not happy on Twitter.

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The golf world was rocked Tuesday morning with the game-changing news of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour merging with LIV Golf.

Golf Twitter quickly went into a frenzy.

The announcement signaled the end of a nearly two-year-long battle between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf that led to suspensions and fines for players who jumped ship to play for the new tour.

Details of the agreement are still scarce, but the news hit everyone right at the same time. Players and fans alike learned some of the biggest news ever in professional golf from Twitter.

Safe to say many PGA Tour players weren't pleased not to get any heads up from the PGA Tour before the announcement at about 10:00 a.m ET.

And everyone thought yesterday was the longest day in golf

Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.

I feel betrayed, and will not not be able to trust anyone within the corporate structure of the PGA TOUR for a very long time

The hell is going on?

Very curious how many people knew this deal was happening. About 5-7 people? Player run organization right? 🤷🏻‍♂️

I’ve grown up being a fan of the 4 Aces. Maybe one day I get to play for them on the PGA Tour!

Now that we’re all friends, is it too late for us to workshop some of these team names? pic.twitter.com/O8EDVqKClz

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

Can I also say that I love @PhilMickelson and everything he's said the past two years has been spot on. He went up in flames in the media cuz of his brutal honesty and now everyone's finally realizing he was right and the PGA Tour does whatever they feel like 😂😂😂

Was having quite the nice practice session this morning too pic.twitter.com/qWBKuM2yHO

Can't wait for the next players meeting 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🥲🤣🤣🤣🤣 @PGATOUR

Surprised that this merger has happened so quickly but not surprised it's happened. Definitely in the financial interest of both sides. Definitely in the financial interest of the players even though some of those who gain will feel like they’re losing. Good for the cohesion of…

pic.twitter.com/dndiYfJ12u

A few LIV golfers, like Phil Mickelson, also reacted in real-time to the announcement. Mickelson remained somewhat cryptic in response to one tweet by No Laying Up's Chris Solomon. Brooks Koepka, meanwhile, took the chance to take a shot a Golf Channel's Brandel Chamblee who had been vocal in his disdain for LIV Golf.

Awesome day today 😊 https://t.co/qUwVJiydym

Not exactly

Welfare Check on Chamblee

Soo can I play tpc sugarloaf again? @PGATOUR

Time to get on the bush hog

Had 0 idea this was happening today. Mind blown. Its curious how anyone would trust a leader who does a complete 180 in a matter of months, and does the exact thing they promised their members would not happen "under their watch". @PGATOUR @livgolf_league where's Greg? iLoveLIV

The story was broken by CNBC at the same time the PGA Tour sent a press release, leading to media members also reacting to the announcement with shock.

So, you preach loyalty to a tour and convince guys not to take 8 and 9 figure deals based, in part, on that loyalty and, in part, on the source of the money. Then those guys find out on Twitter YOU took the very same money? Nino Brown, "Always business, never personal."

Greg Norman and Jay Monahan greeting each other at work every morning pic.twitter.com/bqVjEwDWWF

Good time make a golf show! https://t.co/AQZc4KGOdY

Virtually everything that has happened in the last two years has been rumored, hinted at, or at least done with SOME awareness in the golf community. This seems to be an absolute stunner for essentially everyone, players included.

I’ve been enjoying a little break after turning in the book – so nice to unplug. I think I’ll go camping this morning somewhere without cell reception. Feels great that I won't have to make any major changes to the manuscript.

pic.twitter.com/fOsilKo9jL

Truly gobsmacked today. Of the 10,000 different outcomes, this was never talked about, never discussed, never even floated. Everyone who would have known was at the PGA two weeks ago, and nobody even came close to hinting at it!

This really is our own Succession finale. In retrospect, it seems obvious. And yet still shocking.

PGA Tour didn't communicate this to players at all. They found out same time we did. "Shocked and confused.""Disgusted. They didn't tell us anything."

More people have texted me today than any other life event.

I genuinely feel sorry for someone like Hideki Matsuyama. He reportedly turned down about $300 million … and now his loyalty to the tour doesn't mean much

The golf world right now.. pic.twitter.com/RRtdXFbYNJ

Like it or not, the bottom line is that the Saudis now own golf.

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at [email protected].