Some of golf's biggest names, headlined by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, will reportedly be eligible to receive lucrative equity payouts for remaining loyal to the PGA Tour amid competition from the LIV Golf League.

Tiger can net upwards of $100 million in equity, per the Telegraph, thanks to PGA Tour Enterprises — a for-profit branch devoted to commercializing golf. PGA Tour Enterprises was created earlier this year as part of a $3 billion investment from Strategic Sports Group, a consortium of American sports owners including Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank and New York Mets owner Steve Cohen. LeBron James and Drake are celebrity investors.

Rory McIlroy is set to receive about $50 million for sticking with the PGA Tour. Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are in line for $30 million, according to the initial report.

Tiger, McIlroy, Spieth, and Thomas are among the many PGA Tour members to be unsuccessfully recruited by LIV Golf, which is financially supported by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia, the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

(In 2025, McIlroy and Woods are co-launching a tech-driven golf league in partnership with the PGA Tour.)

Nearly 200 players will receive an equity stake. $750 million will be divided amongst the top 36 players based on a formula factoring in on-course achievement and off-course popularity. $75 million will be allotted to notable retired golfers.

Players must remain loyal to the PGA Tour for the next eight years to receive the vested money. The PGA Tour plans to offer $100 million annually in fresh equity. Other grants and aggregate equity will be doled out based on performance and impact metrics.

On June 6, 2023, Monahan and PIF chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan announced a framework agreement to unite the golf circuits (and the DP World Tour) and set a Dec. 31 deadline to hammer out the details. Talks have stalled as viewership has waned.

After holding out for nearly two years, Jon Rahm accepted a $500 million bag from LIV last fall. He has since admitted to believing unification was imminent when he surrendered his PGA Tour status.

McIlroy left the PGA Tour Policy Board in the fall, citing a desire to refocus on golf. However, just this week, McIlroy surprisingly announced a return, in place of Webb Simpson.

“We obviously realize the game is not unified right now for a reason, and there's still some hard feelings and things that need to be addressed,” McIlroy said ahead of the Zurich Classic in New Orleans on Wednesday. “But I think at this point, for the good of the game, we all need to put those feelings aside and all move forward together.”

A week before the Masters, Tiger Woods, the Vice President of PGA Tour Enterprises, hosted a meeting in the Bahamas with Monahan, Al-Rumayyan, Spieth, other PGA Tour player directors, and SSG reps.

Last week, Rory McIlroy squashed rumors he was jumping the Shark to LIV for $850 million.

“I’ve never been offered a number from LIV, and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV. I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years: I don’t think it’s something for me. Doesn’t mean that I judge people that have went and played over there.

“I think one of the things that I’ve realized over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves. Who are we to judge them for that? Personally, for me, my future is here on the PGA Tour, and it’s never been any different.”

A deal with PIF should only increase the value of the PGA Tour equity stakes.