Padraig Harrington does not see a full merger happening between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour.

A framework agreement was reached between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) 13 months ago to create a new for-profit entity, with hopes of reunifying the game after two years of division since LIV launched in 2022, poaching several of the PGA Tour's top stars in the process.

Negotiations have been taking place between the two parties, with representatives of the PGA Tour, including Tiger Woods, and PIF holding their first face-to-face meeting in New York City last month, the mood coming out of which was said to be positive, despite the lack of material progress being shared with the public.

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However, Harrington believes that any such deal will not be a complete merger between the PGA Tour and LIV and instead thinks it will allow players to compete against each other more regularly.

"They are never going to merge those two tours," said the three-time major winner. There's not enough time for two tours like that. Players don't necessarily want to play that much or play outside the States; it's not going to happen, an actual merger. What they need is an agreement where they can have a crossover between the two tours a bit like the old days with the PGA Tour and European Tour when there was a bit of a rivalry."

But Harrington admits having the LIV players competing at Troon this week really adds to the last major of the year.

"I have always been an advocate of two strong tours," he stated. I liked when Europe was very strong and that sort of rivalry and competition. We went over there in the early 2000s, late 90s we were winning for Europe, you see that with the LIV players they all congratulate each other when they come back. They have a chip on their shoulder and a point to prove when they come out and it adds to the majors in golf."

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