One of the most shocking news stories in sports this year has occurred, as the PGA Tour announced a merger with the rival LIV Golf League. What seemed unprecedented just weeks ago, with ongoing lawsuits for the PGA Tour against LIV, has happened and sent a shockwave through the golf and sporting world.

Several reports say that PGA players are blindsided by the decision, while some LIV players, inducing Phil Mickelson, are celebrating the merger.

“Awesome day today,” Mickelson tweeted after the announcement.

The Saudi-backed league, which was founded in 2021, immediately rivaled the PGA Tour upon its inception. The new tour poached some of the best golfers in the world from the PGA, including Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson. Mickelson signed a deal worth $200 million to join LIV.

PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan called Tuesday “a historic day for the game we all know and love.”

It remains to be seen when the merger officially happens. Before it does, there are sure to be plenty of PGA golfers who publicly oppose the merge, especially if the reports are true that the PGA kept the discussions with LIV under wraps.

Though some in the golf world thought this would be inevitable, not many thought it would happen this soon. Koepka'a victory at the PGA Championship in May further showed that the two entities could work together or simultaneously without turmoil and conflict. Whether you agree with the move or not, this should make for some better golf and perhaps some drama in golf.