LIV Golf pro: My agent has held talks with PGA Tour officials about a return

LIV Golf pro Lucas Herbert has confirmed his agent has opened talks with PGA Tour officials about a potential return. 

The in-form Australian, who held the 54-hole lead at The Open in July and captured his second individual LIV title a week later, joined the breakaway for the 2024 season. 

But the league’s future remains uncertain after it was confirmed in March that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will withdraw its financial backing at the end of the season.

Herbert's teammate, Cameron Smith, told reporters on Tuesday that he's desperate for LIV to survive and hasn't even entertained the thought about potentially re-joining the North American circuit.

But Herbert's team have.

"I haven't personally had any discussions but I think my manager has," Herbert, 30, said. 

"If LIV were to go away and you've got nowhere to play, I think ultimately you need somewhere to play as a professional golfer.

"So we're just doing due diligence, having that conversation. 

"As I said, I haven't had it personally, and my preference would be to still be playing out here if that was still an option.

"Conversations have been had without me being privy to them. I don't know the results of any of those either. Yeah, that's my update."

Herbert would not be the first player to return to the PGA Tour from LIV Golf if such a move were to materialise.

Several golfers who joined LIV have already had their memberships with the PGA Tour reinstated. 

Multiple major champion Brooks Koepka became the first at the turn of the year after he managed to get out of his multi-year contract a few months early. 

Koepka was able to take advantage of a hastily-enacted returning member programme after getting on the horn to Tiger Woods. 

The offer was extended to Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and the aforementioned Smith but all three players turned it down. 

Patrick Reed has also returned, although the former Masters champion was forced to serve a period of suspension. 

Reed previously outlined that he missed the buzz of individual competition and having the final tee time on a Sunday. 

Hudson Swafford, Kevin Na and Pat Perez have also been reinstated. 

The latter will join the over-50s PGA Tour Champions from 1 January 2027.

What did Cameron Smith say?

Smith, 32, admitted that he'd likely seek a return to the PGA Tour if he was left with no other option. 

"I'm a positive guy, so I've made no effort to go seek anything else," he said.

"I don’t really understand what is going to happen. I think it’s all up in the air. 

"I know that the LIV team is working hard to get us to play next year and working hard for us. They do a lot of hard work behind the scenes.

"I want it to work, really, to be honest. It's great fun out here. 

"The team that we’ve got, I feel like we make each other better, better people and better golfers as well. 

"Yeah, I'd hate to see it go away. We'll see what happens.

"Like I said before, we’ve got a player meeting this afternoon. I'm sure we’ll get some more info. 

"But at the moment we’re preparing to keep playing and keep the team alive.