LIV Golf's uncertain future clashes with PGA Tour's selective reinstatement offers
Amid the collapse of LIV Golf, President Donald Trump is expressing his belief that the players on the Saudi-backed rebel tour should be welcomed back to the PGA Tour with open arms.
Rumors about the financial stability of the golf league amidst a worsening situation in the Middle East due to the war with Iran have cast doubt on the viability of LIV Golf.
Earlier this week, the tour announced the cancellation of an event in Louisiana. Then, on Wednesday, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia - which was financing the league - confirmed that they would only bankroll the tour until the end of the 2026 season.
When asked about the future of the golfers who broke away from the PGA Tour to rake in the millions from the PIF, Trump expressed his desire to see the rebels playing against the Tour's biggest stars again.
Trump, who previously was involved in discussions to merge the PGA and LIV leagues, told reporters, 'I do believe that all of the golfers should be playing against each other.
'They were viewing something as a monopoly, but it's swaying away. It should be the opposite of a monopoly.'
'I want to see Rory [McIlroy] playing Bryson DeChambeau. I want to see big Jon Rahm playing Scottie, who is so great. Scottie Scheffler is great.
'They have great players on LIV, but it's almost like people want to see that. That's why the Masters was so good because you saw everybody together.
'The Tour wants to have the best players. You can't have the best player that they're boycotting now. They may do something, you know, a little bit, but they'll all be back on tour and it'll be great. I don't know what's happening with LIV.
'I want to see LIV's best again. I'm not sure what's happening with LIV, but they are playing at my course in two weeks on the Potomac, beautiful course. But right now [the PGA Tour] at Doral, which I own.'
LIV's Virginia event, which is set to be held at Trump National Golf Club in the DC suburb of Potomac Falls, has not been cancelled at the time of publishing.
This week, the PGA Tour returns to the Trump-owned Doral golf club for the Cadillac Championship - one of the tour's signature events.
When the rebel golfers initially joined LIV, the PGA Tour imposed suspensions which barred them from playing in Tour sanctioned events.
But some players were offered a chance to take part in a 'Returning Member Program' in January. The program allows for the return of those who won the Players Championship or any of the majors from 2022 to 2025.
While Brooks Koepka accepted the offer to return - suffering severe financial penalties in order to do so - golfers like DeChambeau, Rahm and Cameron Smith all declined the offer before the February 2 deadline.
It's unclear if the PGA Tour plans to offer the same terms to those three golfers - or any others who with to return - now that LIV is in financial limbo.
As for those who don't meet the criteria for the Returning Member Program, there may be other options for coming back to the tour.
Patrick Reed, for example, is currently serving a one-year ban before his return. Golfers Henrik Stenson and Pat Perez are also under similar yearlong bans dating to their last LIV event. Both are playing on the PGA Tour Champions - formerly the Senior Tour.
According to ESPN, factors which could influence how the PGA Tour brings back specific players may include past performance, whether or not the player resigned their membership before leaving, whether he played on tour or had status at all and whether he was involved in the antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour.
