Top golfers to get no favours for PGA Tour return after LIV bankruptcy

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, September 17, 2026

The PGA Tour has announced it will not provide special exemptions for golfers returning from the LIV Golf bankruptcy and insists players must qualify through established merit-based pathways, such as the DP World Tour. This stance highlights the growing importance of the European circuit as a route back to the PGA Tour amid ongoing negotiations about integrating DP World Tour players into the new PGA Tour Championship Series.

The PGA Tour has made clear it will not offer special treatment to golfers seeking to return following the recent bankruptcy filing of the LIV Golf venture. With LIV’s Saudi Arabian funding ending after this year, the future of the controversial tour remains uncertain, and top players currently under LIV contracts face a complex legal and competitive landscape.

Among those affected are high-profile golfers such as Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, and Tyrrell Hatton. Given the likely dismantling of LIV’s lucrative payout structure, these players may need to regain PGA Tour status through their performances on the DP World Tour in 2027. This scenario is expected to enhance the significance of the European circuit as a pathway back to the PGA Tour.

Rahm acknowledged the ongoing legal complexities at the Wentworth tournament, noting that the bankruptcy proceedings could delay players’ ability to transition back to the PGA Tour. “There is a long legal process they have to go through before a lot of things fall into place,” he said. Until those matters are resolved, players remain in a state of uncertainty.

Brian Rolapp, the PGA Tour commissioner, emphasized the organization’s commitment to meritocracy and adherence to established membership rules, stating there are no current plans to replicate the return program that helped Brooks Koepka rejoin the Tour earlier this year. Koepka was permitted back following agreements involving competitive and financial concessions, but other players declined that option.

Rolapp stressed three guiding principles for anyone seeking to compete on the PGA Tour: merit-based qualification, rule enforcement to maintain fairness and competitive balance, and accountability to preserve the sport’s integrity. “Rules matter, and they must be enforced,” he said, adding that the Tour is not contemplating a "returning-member programme like the one you saw in January."

Discussions are underway regarding how players can earn PGA Tour cards via the DP World Tour in the coming seasons. Plans are also being developed to create tiers of competition within the PGA Tour structure, including a top-level Championship Series in the United States.

Rory McIlroy, speaking at Wentworth, expressed the view that DP World Tour players should feed directly into the PGA Tour’s Championship Series rather than a lower-level Challenger Series. “I don’t see that as an upward move in your career. I see it as a very lateral move,” McIlroy said, suggesting that allocation of cards from Europe to the Championship Series is a key subject in ongoing negotiations.

Rolapp confirmed the format remains under discussion but indicated that there will be Championship Series cards awarded to DP World Tour players. “We have not determined what the DP World Tour cards will be, as of yet. That’s under discussion. I don’t see any scenarios where there’s no Championship Series cards.”

As LIV Golf attempts to restructure amid financial difficulties, the PGA Tour is emphasizing a strict and transparent pathway for players looking to return, underscoring its commitment to competitive fairness and organizational integrity.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.