Experts Hopeful Tulsa Will Remain Top Spot For Golf Events

Tulsa has hosted several golf tournaments in the past few years, including a PGA Championship and LIV Golf tournament.

Now that the PGA and LIV are joining forces, many people are wondering what that could mean for future tournaments.

The Tulsa area has been host to some major golf events these past few years. Local experts said even with this news shaking up the golf world, Tulsa should likely still be a hotspot for events in the future.

“Between the Senior PGA, PGA Championship, and LIV, it's been well over $100 million in economic impact back into Tulsa," said Joel Koester with the Tulsa Sports Commission. 

“LIV was more successful here than any other domestic location by far," said Ken MacLeod.

Ken MacLeod publishes Golf Oklahoma magazine. He said it’s clear that Oklahoma is a golf state.

He said what he wasn’t expecting was the merger between the PGA including the European DP World tour and LIV tour.

“The PGA tour as we’ve known it is kind of over," MacLeod said. "This is a whole new entity.”

The LIV Tour is backed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia.

Many people said that fund is tied to the country's corruption and human rights violations and that means the PGA will now be funded by that same money.

But Koester said from an economic standpoint, the merger could be a good thing for the Tulsa economy with future events in store.

“Maybe you only need one card to participate in all three tours," said Koester.

A lot of things are unclear about this merger, but both experts agree golf is here to stay in our state.

“Whatever comes next, we’re in a great position here in Oklahoma to continue to be rewarded with major championship golf," said MacLeod.

Tulsa’s next big golf event is the US Women’s Amateur being held next year at Southern Hills Country Club.