PGA Tour stance on loyal golfers and re-entry for LIV rebels emerges

27 July 2023 , 15:53

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PGA Tour stance on loyal golfers and re-entry for LIV rebels emerges

The PGA Tour has outlined its plan of action to compensate players who remained loyal to the Tour, as well as a process for LIV Golf players wanting to make a return.

Commissioner Jay Monahan has returned to his role after taking over a month of leave due to medical reasons. His decision to take a step back in June came just one week after the the Tour struck an agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) to work alongside LIV Golf.

In the weeks that have followed, the majority of the golfing world have been left in the dark as to what comes next between the Tour and the Saudi fund.

Questions marks loomed over whether LIV players would be able to make a return to the PGA Tour, having been issued with suspensions following their Saudi switch. Many also called on some sort of compensation for those who opted to turn down LIV millions, if the rebel players were allowed to reapply for membership.

And this has now all been addressed by Monahan in a memo sent to players this week, with the circuit rolling out a 'Player Benefit Program' to its loyalists, as well as 'Player discipline' to assess how best to to reinstate the membership of LIV Golf players.

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The commissioner wrote: "Two key components of our work towards a definitive agreement centre on the Player Benefit Program and Player Discipline (for those LIV players who may endeavour to reapply for membership), and we are making steady progress toward a recommendation on each of those elements."

Jay Monahan has returned to his role as commissioner (Seth Wenig/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

Delving into detail, Monahan revealed the programme would include a 'compensation package', and the Tour were evaluating how best 'to determine how players from across the membership would benefit'. In regard to returning LIV players, he also confirmed a 'task force' had been put in place to develop 'potential pathways' for those wanting to reapply for membership.

A whole host of big names left the circuit last summer, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Cam Smith. Despite a potential return being offered, the likes of Johnson and Koepka have showed little interest in making a comeback, having been left content with their LIV Golf schedule over the past 12 months.

Joshua Lees