LIV Golf players explore potential return to PGA Tour amid funding uncertainty
The PGA Tour is evaluating how to welcome back specific stars, weighing past performance and legal history against the value they bring to the game.
Representatives for multiple LIV Golf players have initiated contact with the PGA Tour to discuss potential pathways for their return. This development coincides with reports that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) will cease funding the LIV tour after the 2026 season, casting significant doubt over the tour's future. While LIV officials claim the 2026 season will proceed uninterrupted, the PGA Tour is now in a position to dictate the terms of return, potentially prioritising specific players based on their value to the organisation.
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp has indicated that the tour is interested in the "best players" but acknowledges that not every former LIV player will be welcomed back, citing "scar tissue" regarding the 2022 antitrust lawsuit. Key factors influencing return decisions may include whether a player resigned their PGA Tour membership, their past performance, and their involvement in the legal dispute. The PGA Tour is currently exploring plans for specific players to potentially make their way back under new and possibly more stringent restrictions, moving beyond the expired Returning Member Program.
High-profile targets for return include Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, who are viewed as bringing significant on and off-course value. DeChambeau, a two-time U.S. Open champion, and Rahm, a two-time major winner, represent the tier of talent the PGA Tour most desires to reintegrate. The decision-making process will likely hinge on whether these individuals were part of the antitrust lawsuit and their current contract status, with Rolapp noting that the tour expects the history of the dispute to be accounted for in some shape or form.
The landscape for returning players has also shifted, with several high-profile names including Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed recently departing the circuit to return to the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. Koepka's return included specific conditions such as a charitable donation and ineligibility for the Player Equity Program. Meanwhile, Reed did not renew his contract with the tour and is serving a one-year ban, making him eligible to return in August. Henrik Stenson and Pat Perez also opted to leave LIV and were allowed to return under similar yearlong bans from their last LIV event.
Earlier this week, LIV announced a late-June tournament in New Orleans would be postponed, with officials looking at a possible fall date instead. That path ahead, however, is unclear due to the uncertainty of LIV's future with PIF's involvement set to end. Scott O'Neil, who replaced Greg Norman last year as CEO of LIV Golf, told staff that the 2026 season continues exactly as planned, yet he later acknowledged that Saudi funding was good only through the 2026 season. O'Neil stated he would "work like crazy" to create a solid business plan, raising questions about how it would keep its top players once the primary financial backer withdraws.
LIV's next scheduled event is May 7-10 at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C. As the PGA Tour evaluates its options, the focus remains on balancing the desire for elite talent with the institutional memory of the 2022 split. The outcome of these discussions will define the competitive landscape for the remainder of the year and potentially reshape the relationship between the two major golf circuits for years to come.
