PGA and LIV Tours Agree to FlingGolf Settlement

April 1, 2025. Knutsford, UK and Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.  The two embattled golf leagues recognize that a fresh concept, combined with an air of drama, is the best path forward to unify the professional golf world.

In a move that has shocked the golf and entertainment world, the CEOs of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have decided to end their years long disputes using a once-popular mediation process, but now with a new modern twist.

Dating back centuries, gun duels were used to settle disputes amongst parties. The concept faded out with a general distaste of possibly dying over an argument, but the concept still proves useful to decide a winner. Now, instead of using guns, the two leaders of golf’s major tours, Jay Monahan and Scott O’Neill will brandish FlingSticks immediately following the conclusion of The Masters Par 3 contest on Wednesday, April 9.

ESPN has agreed to extend its Par 3 coverage to capture this unique event.

The duel will be administered and ruled on by the recently expanded World League FlingGolf. The duelers will stand back to back, take twenty steps to reach a basket of golf balls, turn and with their FlingSticks, fire at each other. Unlike golf, but typical for FlingGolf, the rules are simple:  The first dueler to be hit by a golf ball loses and concedes their position, allowing the professional golf universe to once again be unified.

Each of the duelers, Monahan and O’Neill, have chosen their FlingSticks, created by New Swarm’s GM and Master FlingStick Builder Steve Bloom. According to Bloom, the CEO’s have chosen differing approaches to their FlingStick choices. “It was interesting, Monahan took the approach of rapid fire attack, so went for a carbon fiber Medium Stinger. Not a bad choice considering the distance between duelers won’t be that far.”

Bloom continued, “O’Neill however decided to go for power, picking an XXL Ballistick, thinking that if he can get the head speed up, Monahan wouldn’t be able to react quickly enough to avoid getting hit.”

New Swarm's FlingStick: The new mediator?

WLF Commissioner John Pruellage anticipates an increase in awareness for the WLF’s 10 stop US Tour, noting that it is only two weeks ahead of the Treasure Coast Open, which is going to be filmed for TV and distributed across the US. “This is only good news for our league,” said Pruellage. “I mean, I hope no one gets seriously hurt, but this could rival our own ESPN coverage for exposure, so we’ll take it.”

FlingGolf has been played on over 2000 golf courses and 35 countries, but this will undoubtedly be one of the more unusual approaches.

New Swarm’s CEO and FlingGolf founder Alex Van Alen has stayed focused on what this means for the growth of the sport. “It may not be a traditional route, but once the duel takes place, no question we will consider Augusta National to be “liberated”. It’s not quite the same as when the Old Course at St. Andrews was played last November, but who’s asking, right? New Swarm will happily cover Monahan and O’Neill’s green fees for the duel.” After a pause of several seconds, Van Alen continued, “Oh, yeah and I also hope no one gets seriously hurt.”