The Asian Tour has entered a multi-year partnership with the PGA Tour and the Europe-based DP World Tour, marking a significant shift away from its previous alignment with LIV Golf. The agreement was announced on July 21 and establishes a formal pathway for the Asian Tour’s top players to compete on a global stage for at least the next three years.
This new collaboration builds on the longstanding ties between the DP World Tour and the Asian Tour, which date back to 1999 when the Malaysian Open became the first jointly sanctioned event by the two tours. After previously pausing co-sanctioned tournaments between 2021 and 2026, the DP World Tour will resume co-sanctioning select events with the Asian Tour starting in 2027. Details about the specific tournaments involved will be released later this year alongside the DP World Tour’s schedule for the upcoming season.
Ben Cowen, chief tournament and operations officer of the DP World Tour, expressed enthusiasm about restoring and expanding the partnership with the Asian Tour, now joined by the PGA Tour. Asian Tour commissioner and chief executive Cho Minn Thant described the timing as ideal for the alliance, emphasizing that the collaboration would enhance opportunities for players, fans, and partners across the region.
“Bringing the three tours together under one partnership will increase the bandwidth of the professional game in Asia,” Cho said. He highlighted that co-sanctioned events would enable Asian Tour members to regularly compete internationally, while also inviting players from the other tours to participate in significant Asian Tour events, thereby showcasing the region’s diverse golfing talent.
The Asian Tour had maintained a relationship with LIV Golf since prior to LIV’s inaugural tournament in June 2022. Through this partnership, LIV Golf invested approximately US$300 million to establish the International Series, a group of 10 high-purse tournaments in Asia. However, with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announcing it will cease funding LIV Golf after the 2026 season, the Asian Tour’s new alignment with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour signals a strategic realignment in professional golf.
Rory McIlroy, currently ranked world No. 2, welcomed the partnership on social media, calling it "positive news" for international golf. Christian Hardy, senior vice-president of international for the PGA Tour, described the three-tour alliance as a model of cooperation among organizations sharing a vision for the sport’s future.
LIV Golf declined to issue an official statement regarding the partnership announcement. The evolving landscape in men’s professional golf reflects ongoing shifts in alliances and funding, with the new pact expected to provide broader competitive opportunities and enhance the global profile of the Asian Tour.