Understandably so, of course.

This isn’t just golf news, this is mainstream news that involves unconscionable amounts of money, one of the most talked about world nations and a superpower in world sport.

The announcement to players was in a statement from PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in which the opening line included “unify golf” as part of the mission of this so-called merger.

For the purpose of this column, the information within and seismic shift of professional golf is less important. More so, the date at the top of the memo from Monahan crowing about his deal with Yasir Al-Rumayyan.

That date was June 6, 2023. Why is that important? It also happened to be Women’s Golf Day, or at least it was supposed to be.

Women’s Golf Day is an event that actually spans closer to a week with the purpose of being a “collaborative effort by a dedicated team, golf management companies, retailers and organisations all working together to engage, empower and support girls and women through golf.”

"... to avoid leaks and move forward with the new deal, the new all-powerful PGA Tour and Saudi golf marriage announcement ensured Women's Golf Day was all but wiped out in the white wash of their big splash."

That is a noble mission, one that everyone in the game of golf should, and for most part does, support.

Yet, to avoid leaks and move forward with the new deal, the new all-powerful PGA Tour and Saudi golf marriage announcement ensured Women's Golf Day was all but wiped out in the white wash of their big splash.

The PGA Tour and LPGA Tour are involved in a partnership of sorts, and Aramco, of which Al-Rumayyan is chairman of the board, are also involved in sponsoring women’s golf.

That neither party felt the need to give the day some space shouldn’t come as a surprise, given last year LIV Golf made numerous big announcements during women’s major weeks. Smartly avoiding being lost in the news cycle of a men’s major and instead choosing to dominate in a period where the best players in the women’s game deserve the stage to themselves.

Beyond what one can only innocently hope was a coincidence of date for the announcement, the top female players have also yet to be included in any mention of the new world order of professional golf.

The LPGA, like seemingly every Tour in the world, released a statement from its Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan applauding the cessation of hostilities between the PGA Tour and Saudi interests with a focus on their own internal building.

Whether any money comes the LPGA’s way from this new deal will be interesting to watch, particularly now that those at the top of the PGA Tour seem now happy to take the money that was apparently once tainted.

Marcoux Samaan’s tweeted statement receiving replies showcasing those who opposed the Saudi investment in the game remain steadfast.

And the words of our own Karrie Webb a little over a month ago surely not her feelings alone concerning the matter.

“I couldn’t take that money and go to Saudi Arabia and look any woman in the eye and feel comfortable with myself for doing it. As a woman I couldn’t do it,” Webb told the Good-Good Golf podcast the week of LIV Golf Adelaide back in April.

There is plenty to play out over the coming days, weeks and months regarding the stunning turn of events relating to the elite version of the men’s game, and here’s hoping along the way we get some clarity on how women’s golf fits into the puzzle.

At the very least there might be some more respect placed on the women’s game during periods and on dates where they are hosting their biggest events and attempting to genuinely grow the game. I won’t be holding my breath though, and suggest you don’t either.