PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp Addresses Possible Reinstatement for LIV Golfers

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp joined the Rich Eisen Show on ESPN on Friday. And about 10 minutes into the interview, he addressed the elephant in the room:

The future of LIV Golf.

Of course, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund recently announced that it will pull funding from the league at the end of the 2026 season. That has raised the question of whether, and how, the PGA Tour will reinstate players who defected to LIV.

Amid reports that several LIV players have reached out to the Tour about a pathway back, Rolapp did not provide insight on specific conversations, but didn’t deny that some have explored that possibility, either.

“I think it’s natural there’s a lot of people trying to figure out what their future might look like,” Rolapp said.

Rolapp acknowledged that LIV is still seeking investors to keep the league alive and he doesn’t have any additional information on their funding other than what’s been reported.

“The reality is all [LIV’s] guys are under contract,” Rolapp said, “so until they’re not under contract, it’s not really an issue we need to worry about. So we’re not spending a lot of time thinking about it, honestly.”

The issue of LIV players seeking to return to the Tour has already come across Rolapp’s desk this season. Brooks Koepka left LIV in December and the Tour brought him back under a newly created Returning Member Program. Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith were extended the same olive branch as Koepka, but declined. The offer came with an expiration date, and there’s no guarantee they’ll receive it again.

On the other hand, Patrick Reed didn’t renew his contract with LIV this year and is playing the DP World Tour in hopes of regaining a PGA Tour card as he serves a one-year suspension until August.

“We were clear that when it comes to the [Returning Member Program], that was a particular program for that specific time that has gone away,” Rolapp said. “We’ll react when we have to react, depending on the circumstances. For us, it’s business as usual until the dust settles.”

Rolapp admits he wants to do whatever is best for the Tour.

“[Fans] want to see the best golfers together as often as possible,” he said, “and I agree with that, that’s great. I’ve always been clear publicly, I’m interested in whatever makes the PGA Tour better. But at the same time, there’s a reality we have a membership, and anything we do to make the PGA Tour better, we need to balance that with the interests of our current members.

“While I don’t have a lot of scar tissue from the past, it still exists and I have to be conscious of that.”

DeChambeau, for example, recently told Skratch that he feels his potential return hinges on what his former Tour competitors want (although he also said he is working to stay with LIV and would consider YouTube golf full-time if that doesn’t happen).

“It’s really about if the membership wants me back and if they just want me back. That’s what it’s about,” DeChambeau said. “I don’t even think it’s Brian Rolapp or anybody like one of the top executives, it’s really if the players want me back and if not, then I understand that.”

And it appears some Tour players believe there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach with bringing LIVers back.

“Seems like they’re treating them all as a case-by-case basis,” said Brian Harman at last week’s Cadillac Championship. “I would think that the fans want everyone to be playing together and time heals all wounds. There's still some sentiment out here, especially with all the lawsuit stuff, that stuff's going to be tough to get past. We play with all those guys in the majors, so, yeah, I think there should be a path back.”

But with or without some of the names that left for the rival circuit years ago, Rolapp is confident the Tour will remain strong.

“The PGA Tour may not be for everybody,” Rolapp said. “What we are building, I’m really excited about, our members are excited about, our fans are excited about. … We ultimately want people who are really excited about what we are building. I think, over time, we’ll just see how that plays out.”

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