US PGA shuts door on LIV

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 20, 2026

The PGA Tour announced it will no longer reinstate players who left to join LIV Golf, effectively barring their return under current policies. This decision reinforces the tour’s commitment to a merit-based system and is part of its strategy to maintain competitive integrity ahead of a new competition model launching in 2028.

The PGA Tour has confirmed it will not reinstate members who left to join LIV Golf, closing the door on any return pathway for players affiliated with the rival league. Brian Rolapp, chief executive officer of the PGA Tour, made the announcement during a conference call addressing the eligibility framework for the PGA Tour’s new competition model set to begin in 2028.

Rolapp referenced a previous case involving Brooks Koepka, who earlier this year reached a settlement with the PGA Tour that required him to forfeit player equity grants for five years and make a $5 million charitable donation. Despite this agreement, Koepka remains ineligible for the tour’s flagship events without going through the qualifying process. Rolapp said no similar returning member program is currently planned for other LIV Golf players.

He emphasized that the PGA Tour operates on a merit-based system, where all players—whether existing members or newcomers—must earn their position through competitive performance. Rolapp underscored that the organization’s rules, which are designed to maintain fairness and competitive balance, are strictly enforced. He further pointed to accountability and discipline as central to the tour’s integrity and cohesion.

LIV Golf, which launched in 2022 and attracted several prominent PGA Tour players, filed for bankruptcy recently after losing financial support from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The players who defected to LIV Golf were suspended from the PGA Tour for violating membership provisions that prevent participation in conflicting tournaments.

Rolapp framed the recent decisions regarding eligibility as part of a broader initiative to develop an optimal competitive model for the PGA Tour’s future. He noted that the Future Competition Committee, responsible for overseeing these changes, considered the overall competitive structure without focusing specifically on LIV Golf or any particular group of players.

“Everyone at the PGA Tour, myself included, has been focused on what is best for the organisation,” Rolapp said. The new policies aim to uphold the principles that have long governed the tour, ensuring fairness, meritocracy, and the integrity of the competition as it moves forward.

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.