INVITE-ONLY?: PGA Tour Member Believes Only 6 LIV Golf Defectors Will Be Invited Back

The golfers who defected from the PGA Tour to LIV have, for the most part, wanted a pathway back to their old stomping grounds in an effort to play the legendary events their careers were built upon.

However, a PGA Tour pro believes that only a limited number of those who left the Tour for LIV will be invited back, potentially ruining a planned homecoming for many others who may be left to start their careers over.

Webb Simpson believes that many of those who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf will have to find other ways back into their old league, blaming inflated field sizes for potentially ruining their planned return.

Jon Rahm shared his thoughts on his first year not playing on the PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing. 👇 pic.twitter.com/fanJxBjq7o

— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 7, 2024

Simpson said to Golfweek:

“What we’re really talking about is probably six players (who will be desirable to the Tour). The rest will have to go to Q-school or if they want to do something on the DP World Tour.”

As far as who would be allowed back, it is, for the most part, a fairly logical list. It involves the big names, the most successful players, and those who offered a bit of shock value when they had left:

Simpson named dropped the following players:

• Phil Mickelson
• Dustin Johnson
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Brooks Koepka
• Jon Rahm
• Cameron Smith

Of course, Simpson is in no way confirming that this is how it would be handled, because there are players like Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann, Thomas Pieters, Ian Poulter, Bubba Watson, and others that are simply a draw for many fans.

Cover Image via PGA Tour