PGA Tour veteran explains why he doesn't want LIV Golf players back

Former US Open champion Lucas Glover believes the PGA Tour and LIV Golf are past the point of carring anymore in trying to strike a deal to reunite the sport.

Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau

Former US Open champion Lucas Glover says he doesn't want LIV Golf players to be allowed to play on the PGA Tour again. 

The PGA Tour entered into a 'framework agreement' with LIV's financiers on 6 June 2023 but no deal has come to pass despite numerous talks and even intervention from Donald Trump's White House.

New PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp reportedly told members during his first week in the job talks with LIV are at a stalemate and there isn't likely to be a breakthrough in negotiations anytime soon

It is understood LIV's chairman and PIF governor, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, is resolute in his belief that team golf is the future. 

Clearly, it is a point of view that is not shared at the PGA Tour's headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach. 

Glover - who recently doubled down on his criticism of the PGA Tour's signature events model and the reduction of field sizes - believes both sides are past the point of caring anymore. 

And despite the fact tensions have now cooled, he still doesn't want the likes of Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka or even Bryson DeChambeau to be allowed to come back to the Tour.

"I don't want to play with them, me personally," he told his radio show

"I don't think they should be back here, I don't want them here. They made their decision, and I don't blame any of them. I don't care, but they also went away from this Tour, and they chose to."

He added: "As a PGA Tour player, and somebody who dreamed of playing on the PGA Tour, and have poured my heart and soul into this Tour and game for 21 seasons now, I don't want somebody who chose another path – a path of less resistance, I don't want them back competing and taking part of my pie and these kids' pie who are trying to make it now. I don't want that.

"We as golf fans, yeah, the top four, five six players over there, if they were playing on the PGA Tour it would benefit all of us, because our TV deal [is up for renewal] in 2030 would be great.

"The big question now in my opinion is; does it behove us as Tour members who have equity now to grow our sport by bringing some of those guys back?"

Glover admitted his position may be short-sighted. 

"As far as a stalemate goes, 'we' being the PGA Tour, I don't think we even care anymore, we're focused on going forward," he added.
 
"They're not coming away from the team thing, and that's fine. 
 
"Our focus now is forward, forward, forward. We're going to grow our sport, and grow our tour. All that being said, I don't think we care anymore about this unification and I don't think they do either. 
 
"That’s fine with me but it's also kind of short-sighted of me, because if five, six, seven, eight of them still move the needle for the public, that would help us grow even bigger."
LIV Golf 2026 schedule leaked
Elsewhere, Sports Business Journal have reportedly got their hands on LIV's tentative schedule for their fourth full season. 
 
Two new events are said to have been given the green light, taking the breakaway to South Africa for the very first time.
 
LIV also plan to return to Adelaide, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mexico, Spain and England.
Take a look at the schedule here:
 
LIV Golf 2026 Schedule (per SBJ)

Tournament

Date

Riyadh

Feb. 5-7

Adelaide

Feb. 13-15

Hong Kong

March 6-8

Singapore

March 13-15

South Africa

March 20-22

The Masters

April 9-12

Mexico City

April 17-19

D.C./Virginia

May 8-10

PGA Championship

May 14-17

South Korea

May 29-31

Spain

June 5-7

U.S. Open

June 18-21

New Orleans

June 26-28

Open Championship

July 16-19

U.K.

July 24-26

Chicago

Aug. 7-9

Indianapolis

Aug. 21-23

Michigan

Aug. 28-30

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