While many of the details about how the reimagined tours will look remain unclear, it appears that the gamble has already paid off for Johnson, Mickelson and their LIV compatriots. The PGA Tour announced its intention to work with LIV to establish a “a fair and objective process” for reinstatement into its ranks, presumably ending the ban of defectors. And it seems likely that they will get to keep their lofty paydays, too.
“Everything that the Saudis and the LIV staff had done from the beginning negotiations to signing, to all the drama with the PGA Tour and everything, they've always kept their word,” an agent who represents multiple LIV golfers tells. “Going forward, I expect not just my players, but all LIV guys to continue getting the same treatment and everything be honored.”
In addition to starting an uncivil war in the sport, the astronomical signing bonuses have also realigned the fortunes of the top players. Upfront payments from LIV boosted the earnings of the 18 highest-paid golfers by more than $500 million, with hundreds of millions more coming on the backend if the guarantees are fully paid out. In total, the combined haul of golf’s most dominant earners reached just shy of $1.1 billion,estimates.