PLAYA DEL CARMEN – Since the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle for professional golf supremacy began, one of the big questions has been: can the two entities co-exist?
One course thinks it can bridge the gap between the two.
Back in November, Golfweek was first to report after 16 years of hosting a PGA Tour event on Mexico’s Rivera Maya, Mayakoba’s El Camaleon Golf Club would host LIV Golf’s first event of its 2023 season, which takes place this week, Feb. 24-26. Borja Escalada, the CEO of RLH Properties which owns the Mayakoba resort, touts the property as a “pioneer” and believes his resort could be that bridge.
“We have a common value which is developing a sport that we all love. So for us, it will be an honor to be able to host both events,” said Escalada. “That’s something that is not possible because of the actual positions of one or the other.”
The idea of hosting both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is more pipe dream than possibility at this point.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has drawn his line in the sand when it comes to those who do business with LIV, especially after the ongoing legal battles in U.S. federal court. The Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, won last November by Russel Henley, won’t return to the resort in 2024, but LIV Golf will as part of a multi-year contract.
“They know this is their home. We’re super grateful for the event they did and would love to continue doing that event,” Escalada said of the World Wide Technology Championship. “Unfortunately, today, maybe both events are not compatible, but maybe in the future that will happen.”
Escalada said Mayakoba was interested in LIV for a handful of reasons, including the team concept and LIV’s Golf But Louder slogan. Not to mention the fact that LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman has a strong relationship with the resort as the course designer for El Camaleon.
“The critical point for us is whether we are doing the proper thing for development of the sport,” said Escalada. “Is there anything that we can do where we can continue to development the sport and at the same time open a huge window to the world to show what Mexico, what Mayakoba has to offer?”
Escalada believes Mayakoba is top one in the world when it comes to its hotels, residences and sustainability. For that that reason, he also wanted to have a top-tier event. When the Tour announced its 12 elevated events outside the…
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