Even with a deal, a settled landscape in men’s professional golf is at least two years off.
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ItwasRobertFrostwhoadvisedagainsteverremovingafencewithoutknowingwhyitwasfirsterected.ThefencesraisedaroundthePGATourduringgolf’scivilwarhardlyrequireexplanation:theywereintendedpartlytopunishthosewhoskippedintoamoreverdantpasture,andpartlytoprotectthosewhoremained,ensuringthatLIVgolferscouldn’teasilyreturnwithbulgingpocketbooks.Thosefencesaren’tclosetobeingdismantledandmightneverbe,butthereexistsaplausiblescenarioinwhichastilecouldbeaddedtoadmita(very)lucky(very)few.
There’sconsiderablespeculationthatLIVplayerscouldsooncompeteonthePGATourifanagreementisreachedwiththePublicInvestmentFundofSaudiArabia.Evenwithadeal,asettledlandscapeinmen’sprofessionalgolfisatleasttwoyearsoff,whichdemandsolivebranchesandcompromisestofillthegapsoconsumersoftheproductseewinsandprogress.ButwhatwillthereturnofLIVplayerslooklike?ItwillbeD.E.I.withouttheD,sincegolfhasneverreallybeenaboutdiversity.Thefocuswillbeonwhoha
