Latest LIV Golf rumors will leave PGA Tour and Jay Monahan feeling sick

It's been a little more than 24 hours since the first major of the year wrapped up and already the LIV golf rumor mills are once again in full effect. Another day, another supposedly big addition for Greg Norman and company. That's just the way it goes these days.

Following the big-time acquisition of two-time major champion Jon Rahm last year, and its additions of Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk early this year, LIV has reportedly zeroed in on its next big target ahead of the tour's upcoming season in 2025. News that comes of little surprise with any merger between the PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund presumably still some ways from completion.

LIV honing in on next big target

On Monday, speculation resurfaced around promising young talent Viktor Hovland reportedly drawing the attention of the LIV Tour as its next big target.

Per a report in the Guardian in the UK, chatter on the range at both the LIV Golf event in Miami two weeks ago and last week's Masters centered around the Norwegian star as part of LIV's plan to target both PGA and DP World Tour stars ahead of its 2025 season.

Hovland, the No.6 player in the world in the latest Official World Golf Rankings, won at last season's Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour before a torrid run through last year's FedEx Cup playoffs which saw Viktor win both the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields and the Tour Championship at East Lake on his way to claiming the FedEx Cup title.

Last year's FedEx Cup champion missed the cut at Augusta National before withdrawing from this week's PGA Tour signature event at the RBC Heritage in South Carolina. Something that will likely only increase speculation around his future following the Guardian's report.

Of course, this isn't the first time that Hovland has been linked with a move to the Saudi-backed golf tour. The 26-year-old has denied speculation linking him to a potential LIV move on several occasions since rumors first surfaced last year. At the same time, Hovland has previously aired his frustrations with current PGA Tour leadership.

Latest LIV connections will leave the PGA Tour and Jay Monahan feeling sick

On a busy Monday for LIV rumors, Hovland's wasn't the only big name to be linked with a move to the LIV Tour in the near future. Four-time major champion Rory McIlroy also saw his name floating around.

McIlroy, who was a member of the PGA Tour policy board until last November when he resigned, has since softened his stance on LIV in recent months. Now, rumors are circling that the Northern Irishman could be on the verge of joining the circuit he has been heavily critical of in the past.

Speculation around a shocking $850,000,000 move to LIV surfaced over the weekend. If reports are to be believed this would be a sickening blow for the PGA Tour and Commissioner Jay Monahan, and arguably the biggest signing LIV has reeled in thus far.

One of the sport's biggest stars was one of the PGA Tour's biggest advocates up until the shocking news broke of a potential PGA-PIF merger at last year's RBC Canadian Open.

With no agreement currently in place between the PGA and PIF and no foreseeable plans for the best players in the sport to come together more often soon, losing two more stars of Viktor Hovland's and Rory McIlroy's caliber would be a sickening blow for the PGA Tour and fans of the game in general as the sport continues to fracture in half.

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