Multiple PGA Tour winner on thorny LIV Golf issue: "It'd be nice to figure that out"

Justin Thomas says PGA Tour stars and LIV Golf players are "over" the divide in the sport. 

The Saudi Arabia-funded LIV launched in June 2022 and lured away many top players from the establishment with lucrative contracts. 

Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith and Patrick Reed were among the first recruits. 

Thomas was also targeted but decided to turn down the riches of LIV. 

In recent months, there has been plenty of speculation about the future of high-profile LIV players. 

Sports Business Journal have reported Koepka, 35, is yet to agree a contract extension and may sit out the entire 2025 LIV season. 

DeChambeau is understood to want to extend his stay beyond 2026 but is yet to agree terms. 

It begs the question, would the PGA Tour entertain the idea of allowing Koepka and other LIV recruits back should that situation arise?

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Thomas told the Straight Facts Homie podcast that he is fortunate that decision is way above pay grade. 

But it's clear that, going forward, he just wants the best players in the world playing against each other. 

"I don't know how many different factors or people or whoever it is that makes that decision," Thomas told the pod. 

"I think a lot of us, I think even LIV included, just like the tour players are over this, and we just want a scenario or situation where we're all playing.

"But [PGA Tour chief executive Brian] Rolapp said it pretty well, we have the best tour in the world right now. 

"The tournaments are doing well, they're are growing fans at a great rate. 

"And of course, they have so many great players, and the top players in the world. So, why wouldn't we want them?"

In the past, there has been plenty of suggestions over how to re-integrate LIV players. 

Some have suggested that exemptions should exist for certain LIV players at signature events. 

Others have stated they must serve a period of suspension or even pay fines. 

"I don't know what that path back looks like," Thomas added. "I think it'd be nice to figure out whatever that is. 

"Fortunately, that is so far above my pay grade that I don’t have to make those decisions.

"But, hopefully, sooner rather than later, there’s something that happens, just for the betterment of everybody wanting to watch golf. 

"I think the noise is at least settled of how bad it was a couple years ago or whatever.

"But, I'm sure, some of those guys, maybe didn’t go how they had planned or how they had hoped, to where I'm sure you’re looking, like how bad Jon Rahm would love to be playing Torrey Pines and Riviera and The Players and stuff like that. I think he's even said that.

"I'm not sure what that looks like, but hopefully, you know, it it can look like something at some point, right?"

"I hate it"

Thomas was also pressed on what changes he would like to see on the PGA Tour. 

Chief executive Brian Rolapp has named Tiger Woods as the chairman of the future competition committee.

Woods and a number of players are charged with "re-imagining the overall competitive model of the PGA Tour". 

It is understood that one key change being discussed is the season beginning in February to avoid clashing with the NFL. 

There has been some chatter that the signature events -  with huge prizes, limited fields and no cuts - may be replaced with a condensed schedule of 20-22 tournaments. 

"I think that the field size thing, I think that there there’s a sweet spot there," Thomas said. 

"I don't know what it is. I think there’s something to be said for having cuts. I think it's a huge part of our sport.

"But then again, I don't think people understand how much better tournaments can flow with smaller fields in the flexibility of twosomes versus threesomes and twosomes being an hour faster per round than threesomes. There's just a lot of factors that go into that.

"And, little things, like we play in California literally the only month of the year that it’' bad weather in California.

"There's little things like that and, you know, I hate it because the beginning of the year is great and we love to do it but there's something to be said about going against football."

He continued: "It's the biggest sport in the world, and I mean, I freaking love golf, and I'm pretty sure if I could watch a day of football or a day at golf, I'm probably going to be predominantly football and switching back to the golf a little bit.

"It's the biggest sport in the world, right? So I think finding a way to see how they cannot compete but coincide a little bit in the sense of just benefitting us, right?

"I think that there's some version of that of just playing in the right places in the right times, going to Chicago, playing in Boston, New York, like some of the huge markets. 

"The fans in the Chicago tournaments were always so big, and there's some of the greatest golf courses that I know guys love going to.

"So I think some version of whatever that montage of stuff I just said put together would be great."