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Brian Rolapp says LIV Golf players can return to PGA Tour, but they'll have to earn it
LIV Golf 1.0 is over as we know it. Whether the 2.0 version ever gets off the ground remains to be seen.
As for the PGA Tour, it's full steam ahead, with an eye on 2028 ahead of the Tour's new Championship Series format. CEO Brian Rolapp spoke Tuesday ahead of the 2026 Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta. He answered plenty of questions, but one of the topics discussed was about LIV Golf and the opportunity for those players to eventually come back to the PGA Tour.
Rolapp made one thing clear: "There's no current plans for Returning Member Program like you saw earlier this year." That program was offered to Brooks Koepka, who accepted and returned, as well as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.
But if LIV's 2.0 dream doesn't come to fruition, there are going to be numerous big names looking for places to play. Even if it does happen, some golfers may not want to be involved with the next iteration of the league.
As for those golfers, do they have a path back to the PGA Tour? Rolapp had plenty to say.
"I think fans are clear where they want to see the best golfers competing week in and week out," Rolapp said. "Our competitive model that we've been working on is an attempt to get closer to that standard.
"I would also say three things when it comes to LIV players or anyone else who wants to be on the PGA Tour. One, the PGA Tour is built on meritocracy. Every player, whether they're already here or they're trying to be here, they're going to earn a place based on their performance and on their success. That's a core principle of the sport, and it certainly is of the PGA Tour. Two, the Tour is a membership organization. It has rules. Those rules exist for lots of reasons, for fair, competitive reasons. They exist so we can actually create the Tour as you know it. Rules matter. Three, rules only matter if they're enforced. So accountability and discipline are essential to any organization, and certainly for the integrity of the Tour and for the game, especially in a game that prides itself on rules and integrity.
"Those are guiding principles for us. Rules matter. Again, I've been very public that I want to do what's best for the PGA Tour, and that's still my guiding principle. Whatever happens, those will be the guiding principles."
Rolapp recognizes that players like Rahm and DeChambeau are stars of the sport and some of the best players in the world. Having them on the PGA Tour would elevate the Tour as a whole.
He also understands there are still a lot of hard feelings for those who took the bag of cash to go to LIV Golf, hence why Rahm, DeChambeau and others would have to earn their way back to the PGA Tour. Patrick Reed, for example, is going to earn his PGA Tour card via the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai, and next week he becomes eligible to compete in Tour events via sponsor exemption in the fall events.
But if players are interested in coming back to the PGA Tour, Rolapp is not shutting the door. Just don't expect it to be a red carpet welcome on the way back.
"We haven't made any decisions. I've said it consistently; I only know what I read. I don't know the future of LIV. It sounds like they're working really hard to come up with the next iteration of it," Rolapp said. "We've been consistent. Anyone who's interested in coming to the PGA Tour needs to demonstrate that they are relieved of their contractual commitments or any tail obligations they might have in that legacy model. Brooks certainly did that, and until then, we weren't really able to consider anything seriously. I would say the same thing here.
"I think it's unclear what we're reacting to, but any player who is here needs to demonstrate that they're completely free of any tail obligation for some time."
Cameron Jourdan is an assistant editor of Golfweek, covering college and amateur golf, the PGA Tour and plenty more. Follow Cameron on X/Twitter (@Cam_Jourdan) or Instagram (@GolfweekJourdan).
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Brian Rolapp says LIV Golf players can return to PGA Tour, but they'll have to earn it
Brian RolappLIV GolfPGA TourPGA Tour CEO Brian RolappWhetherTourChampionship SeriesCEO Brian RolappTour ChampionshipEast LakeAtlantaRolapp
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