Multiple major champion floats controversial (?!) PGA Tour-LIV Golf idea

Multiple major champion Padraig Harrington has always maintained there is 'room in golf' for the PGA Tour's LIV rival.  

A month after the breakaway league launched, Harrington suggested there would be a happy future whereby all the tours could co-exist. 

It might take four or five years, Harrington said two years ago, but he added of the circuit: "The more the merrier." 

Harrington acknowledged there would be disruption - and there has been plenty - but he believed LIV gave a welcome kick up the backside to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. 

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"I grew up seeing the PGA Tour as a competitive tour," he previously said. "I don't have a problem with another tour being competitive."

Fast-forward two years and Harrington's tune hasn't changed one iota. 

The landscape is different and the PGA Tour, we are led to believe, are still in discussions about bringing on LIV's financiers as minority investors into PGA Tour Enterprises to ratify last June's framework agreement. 

Related: 

• Tiger Woods named vice chairman of PGA Tour Enterprises

Whether that will ever happen remains to be seen and we could have another update on their discussions before this year's Masters. 

In the event a PGA Tour-PIF deal falls through, Harrington has offered some fresh thoughts on the matter.  

"It doesn't look like there will be any sort of golfing marriage in the near future," Harrington, 52, told reporters before the Cologuard Classic on the PGA Tour Champions. 

"So why not have it a little bit like the old European Tour, PGA Tour where there's a little bit of competition."

What does he mean?

"I think the biggest thing going forward for the PGA Tour, there has to be some way of capping," he said.

"They can't just steal all our players… there are very few businesses in this world where there isn't some sort of a non-compete clause.

"If somebody wants to leave, the Tour should get the money, not the player."

Harrington's comment come as PGA Tour player director Webb Simpson stressed the importance of agreeing a deal with the PIF. 

Simpson told reporters at the Arnold Palmer Invitational it would be 'very dangerous' not to. 

"I think we're in a position where we want to do the right deal," he said. 

"We don't want to just do a deal because we're afraid that the LIV tour might recruit more players. That's certainly a fear.

"But I think it's obvious [we need to do a deal]. The writing is on the wall.

"We're not in a position where we need to do a deal for money. We need to do a deal for the good of the game."

Simpson's comments contrasted with the aforementioned Woods, who has hinted that the PGA Tour could go it alone without PIF investment. 

Read next:

• Rickie Fowler reveals why he turned down big LIV money
• Golf commentator questions 'bizarre' PGA Tour decision: "What are we doing?"
• Rory McIlroy to PGA Tour officials: "F--- it, do what you wanna do!"