PGA Tour rules out LIV golfer return path
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said during a Sept. 15, 2026, media call that the tour was not considering another Returning Member Program for golfers seeking to return from LIV Golf.
The statement indicated that players such as Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith would not receive the same limited-time route used by Brooks Koepka. Bryson DeChambeau’s situation remained fluid after he teased a possible PGA Tour return on Sept. 20.
PGA Tour’s Rolapp explains no return program
Rolapp told reporters directly that no plans exist for a Returning Member Program like the one used earlier in 2026. He said the tour built its rules on meritocracy, where results and consequences both matter for every member.
The commissioner added that the PGA Tour operates as a membership organization with binding regulations. Players who signed with LIV Golf made a choice with consequences, and Rolapp said that framework still guides tour decisions in September 2026.
PGA Tour’s return program had strict rules
The PGA Tour introduced its limited-time Returning Member Program in January 2026. It was available to eligible former members who had been away from the tour for at least 2 years and had won the Players Championship or a major championship from 2022 through 2025.
Brooks Koepka returned through the program. The 3 other eligible golfers, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith—did not accept the offer before the Feb. 2 deadline.
Rahm and Smith face uncertain futures
Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith did not accept the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program offer before its Feb. 2, 2026, deadline.
Their situations became uncertain after LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 8. Rahm said his contractual status remained subject to the bankruptcy process, while DeChambeau teased a possible PGA Tour return on Sept. 20.
Brooks Koepka’s costly return to the PGA Tour
Brooks Koepka became the only golfer to use the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program, returning to competition in January 2026 after securing his release from LIV Golf.
Under the program, Koepka was barred from receiving Player Equity Program grants through 2030, was ineligible for 2026 FedEx Cup bonus payments and agreed to make a $5 million charitable donation.
Patrick Reed also leaves LIV for the PGA Tour
Patrick Reed announced in January 2026 that he had left LIV Golf and planned to return to the PGA Tour for the 2027 season.
Reed did not qualify for the Returning Member Program used by Brooks Koepka. Because Reed had resigned his PGA Tour membership in 2022, he followed the tour’s standard reinstatement rules and became eligible to enter events as a nonmember through qualifying or sponsor exemptions beginning Aug. 25, 2026.
Rolapp lists 3 factors for any LIV return
Rolapp said 3 factors guide any decision on LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour. The first is that the tour was built on meritocracy, meaning every position and dollar earned must be won on the course.
The second factor is that the PGA Tour operates as a membership organization bound by its own rules. Rolapp also weighs fairness toward members who stayed loyal instead of joining LIV Golf for guaranteed money.
McIlroy and Scheffler disagree on LIV returns
Masters champion Rory McIlroy questioned why the PGA Tour would welcome LIV golfers back, asking at the BMW Championship in St. Louis last month whether the players had brought any real value to LIV Golf.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler took the opposite view, saying he wants to compete against the best players in the world, including LIV golfers, even if their return comes with penalties attached, a stance he repeated in press conferences this season.
Fun fact: Greg Norman helped launch LIV Golf as its founding CEO in October 2021 and officially concluded his final association with the league in September 2025.
PIF ends equity funding as LIV enters bankruptcy
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund disclosed in April 2026 that it would stop providing continuing equity funding to LIV Golf after the 2026 season. The fund had invested more than $5 billion in the league since its first event in 2022.
After LIV filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 8, PIF agreed to provide $49.6 million in debtor-in-possession financing to support the restructuring, subject to court approval.
LIV Golf’s 2026 season shrinks to 12 events
LIV Golf completed 12 events in 2026 after initially scheduling 14. The New Orleans tournament planned for June was postponed indefinitely, while the season-ending team championship in Michigan was canceled.
The shortened season preceded LIV Golf’s Sept. 8 Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, which listed estimated assets of $100 million to $500 million and liabilities of $500 million to $1 billion.
LIV Golf restructures around BC Partners agreement
LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced in August 2026 that the league had secured a term sheet from a lead investor as it sought funding beyond the 2026 season.
On Sept. 8, LIV entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection under a restructuring-support agreement with BC Partners Credit. The proposed transaction would make participating players the majority owners of the reorganized league, but it remains subject to court and stakeholder approval.
LIV’s proposed 2027 model targets 10 events
Before entering bankruptcy, LIV Golf outlined a proposed 2027 schedule of 10 team events, split evenly between U.S. and international locations. The schedule and ownership structure now depend on the outcome of LIV’s Chapter 11 restructuring and the proposed BC Partners-backed transaction.
The PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund did not complete the broader agreement contemplated by their 2023 framework. Separately, Strategic Sports Group made an initial $1.5 billion investment in PGA Tour Enterprises in 2024.
LIV Golf’s relationship with the PGA Tour remains a major storyline as players weigh their futures. Find out why a LIV golfer is reportedly considering a boycott as part of a bid to rejoin the PGA Tour. Tour
What’s next for LIV golfers and the PGA Tour
Brian Rolapp has said the PGA Tour must remain “pure to the game” and “pure to the tour,” while emphasizing meritocracy, membership rules and accountability in decisions involving former LIV golfers.
LIV Golf is now pursuing a court-supervised restructuring rather than simply negotiating new funding. Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith face uncertain futures, while Bryson DeChambeau teased a possible PGA Tour return on Sept. 20. The PGA Tour has not announced another blanket Returning Member Program.
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Should LIV golfers be allowed to return to the PGA Tour? If so, what conditions should apply? Share your thoughts in the comments.
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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