Patrick Cantlay Recognizes LIV Golf's Bright Side But Still Isn't Going There

Patrick Cantlay said he is not heading to the LIV Golf League this year, but understands why his name remains associated with the rival circuit—and believes the competition has been good.

Cantlay, who won the 2021 FedEx Cup and is ranked fourth in the world, has long been viewed as a potential target of LIV Golf, which has yet to announce any new players since its season ended in October. It is scheduled to play its first event next month.

"I think it's because I haven’t been too vocal one way or the other," Cantlay told reporters at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Tuesday when asked why his name continues to be associated with LIV Golf.

"So I think that's probably where it is. Guys, for the most part, seem like they're pretty polarized on this issue, and I view it as it's been a competition for top talent, like any other business.

"But I have no plans to do that as of now, which has been my stance basically the whole time."

Cantlay is among 39 players competing in this week’s tournament at Kapalua, the 10th event of the 2022-23 season but the first "designated event" in a series of tournaments meant to attract the top players on the PGA Tour more often.

Although No. 1-ranked Rory McIlroy is skipping the $15 million tournament, it has still attracted 17 of the top 20 in the world.

Cantlay suggested that LIV Golf’s emergence helped usher in the era of the designated events on the PGA Tour, of which there are 12 outside of the major championships and the Players Championship.

"I think that it's been interesting how much it's changed golf, as in, everyone's trying to innovate and make golf better all of a sudden," Cantlay said. "I think that will be a massive benefit for the viewer because I think now more than ever competition is making people evolve and making people grow and think outside the box.

"So I think it's been really good and will be good for professional golf in the long run. But it's been such a polarizing issue that it's made people feel emotional about something that has been the same for such a long time."

Cantlay added: "I think competition is always necessary for improvement. But not necessarily. I just think that in general, like I've said before, that it's been such a polarizing issue and in the future, we may look back and think that it's not as polarizing as it's been when you're in the heat of the moment.

"So I'm as interested as all of you to see where it goes and then looking back, I hope that it brings about some positive change in the game of golf. And I think with more attention and more excitement it potentially can do that."