PGA Tour members are preparing for the return of LIV golfers

DORAL, Fla. — PGA Tour members are preparing for the return of LIV golfers as the league is on the verge of collapse. But at what cost.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund confirmed April 30 it would no longer fund LIV Golf beyond the 2026 season. That has led to several LIV players reportedly contacting the PGA Tour to inquire about a pathway back.

While many PGA Tour players have said they will welcome back their peers, some still believe there has to be a cost.

A LIV Golf logo “floats” at the LIV Golf Miami at Trump National Doral.

“I think there should be something,” Brian Harman said after shooting a 4-under 68 in the opening round of the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral.

“That would help with some of the bad blood and some of the resentment.”

Harman added that “bad blood and resentment” subsided when LIV, including the players, dropped their antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour in 2023. But still, “I think something to ease a little bit of that is probably necessary.”

Tequesta’s Lucas Glover is willing to forgive but believes any player seeking to return to the tour they spurned needs to be held accountable.

“Human beings are human beings,” Glover said after shooting a 72 on the Blue Monster. “I kind of live by that, you treat everybody the same until they give you a reason not to. I have respect for people and golfers because they’re people first and my peers second. I will never begrudge anybody for making a decision for the betterment of their career, their life, whatever that may be.

“But do I think they should abide by the pathways back and pay the same penalties that the previous people have paid. Absolutely.”

Jordan Spieth plays his shot from the second tee during the first round of the 2026 Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral.

That punishment is expected to be steep, but layered depending on each golfer’s situation.

Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed accepted their sanctions

Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have accepted their sanctions. Koepka already is back on the Tour, but with severe restrictions that include him being ineligible for signature events such as Cadillac. Koepka must work his way into the signature events, which is why he is in the field of a PGA Tour opposite event, the Myrtle Beach Classic, scheduled for May 7-10. Reed is playing in the DP World Tour while serving a one-year suspension from PGA Tour.

“I know olive branches were given out a couple months ago. Brooks took them up on it,” said Jordan Spieth, who shot a 66, one behind leader Cameron Young. “So I’m not sure what would now change.

Brian Harman watches his birdie attempt on the seventh hole during the first round of the 2026 Cadillac Championship.

“But I think if there’s a system for Brooks and a system for Patrick Reed, does that stay the same for guys in the same category as those two coming back or does it change now. Does it change for guys who sued and dropped their membership.”

Spieth is a former player director of the PGA Tour Policy Board. He left the board in February 2025.

Players will be treated differently depending on whether they violated PGA Tour regulations by joining LIV, resigned their PGA Tour membership or were never a Tour member.

And the 11 players who joined that lawsuit against the PGA Tour — including Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau — likely will be handed another layer of punishment, despite the suit being dropped.

“I would think that the fans want everyone to be playing together and, you know, time heals all wounds,” Harman said. “There’s still some sentiment out here, especially with all the lawsuit stuff, that stuff’s going to be tough to get past.”

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: PGA Tour members are preparing for the return of LIV golfers

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