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The sportswashing scheme took another step forward with the LIV Golf-PGA merger but Saudi Arabia has bigger plans, writes Miguel Delaney

McIlroy was kept in the dark about the stunning deal which was announced on Tuesday.

McIlroy said it was time to embrace Saudi Arabian investment in sport in the wake of the PGA Tour’s shock merger with the country’s Public Investment Fund

The rival golf tours announced a shock merger to end the lawsuits and recriminations between the sides

The Northern Irishman thinks “ultimately it’s going to be good” for the professional game.

COMMENT: The Northern Irishman has been an outspoken critic of LIV Golf but, as Jack Rathborn discusses, the PGA Tour’s merger may have altered his views

Players are coming to terms with the shock merger with LIV Golf.

McIlroy and Tiger Woods have been the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour’s battle with rival LIV before the shock announcement

Anger over Saudi backing after commissioner ‘co-opted the 9/11 community’ to oppose breakaway tour

The country sees sport as vital to diversifying its economy and encouraging activity among its citizens.

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have agreed to merge commercial operations under common ownership, the PGA Tour has announced.

Rory McIlroy was among those at the meeting as players attacked PGA chief Jay Monahan following the revelation of a shock merger with Saudi-backed rebel tour LIV Golf

So many questions remain unanswered on a big day in the sport

McIlroy and Tiger Woods have been the biggest supporters of the PGA Tour’s battle with rival LIV before the shock announcement.

The PGA and DP World Tours merged their commercial operations with LIV Golf in a shock announcement on Tuesday.

The agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf came after 12 months of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game.

The new entity will be backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

The PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have come together in a shock commercial deal.

A legal battle between the tours has been brought to an end.

So many questions remain unanswered on a big day in the sport

Professional golfers have reacted with surprise at the sudden announcement of a merger between the PGA Tour, Europe’s DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s controversial LIV Golf.

The rival golf tours announced a shock merger to end the lawsuits and recriminations between the sides

Golf’s civil war that has been raging for 18 months looks set to come to a stunning end

The agreement comes after a year of unprecedented disruption in the men’s professional game.

Zhang is the first LPGA Tour player to win on her pro debut since Beverly Hanson in 1951

Overnight leader Rory McIlroy had to settle for a tie for seventh as Hovland beat Denny McCarthy in a play-off

The 20-year-old finished two shots clear at the Porsche European Open in Hamburg.

The Northern Irishman finished tied with two other players on six under par.

The Scot fired an eagle and eight birdies in a seven-under-par 66, a nine-shot improvement on his opening 75.

At four under par McIlroy was three shots off the early clubhouse lead.