PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Friday he has no plan in place for allowing LIV golfers to return to the tour. Appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show," Rolapp said it is premature because LIV golfers are still under contract and LIV Golf is still operating through 2026, as it tries to attract new investors to offset the loss of funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Though Rolapp said the tour has made no potential contingencies to welcome back former PGA Tour players, he did confirm that the deal they arranged with Brooks Koepka to return this season is no longer available. The tour intentionally and specifically crafted a plan whose qualifications fit only four LIV Golf players: Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.
My take: Bull. Of course they are developing contingencies if LIV folds. Rolapp would be wise to not make it too punitive. The PGA Tour could use all those players mentioned and DeChambeau might be the most popular player on the planet — he's a huge attendance draw with a massive online following. The PGA Tour is plenty strong right now to not need anyone else — the others can Q-School or Korn Ferry Tour or whatever to get back in, including Dustin Johnson. Maybe Joaquin Niemann, but everyone else can pound sand.
THE ASYLUM
Rolapp mum on LIV golfers
PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Friday he has no plan in place for allowing LIV golfers to return to the tour. Appearing on "The Rich Eisen Show," Rolapp said it is premature because LIV golfers are still under contract and LIV Golf is still operating through 2026, as it tries to attract new investors to offset the loss of funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Though Rolapp said the tour has made no potential contingencies to welcome back former PGA Tour players, he did confirm that the deal they arranged with Brooks Koepka to return this season is no longer available. The tour intentionally and specifically crafted a plan whose qualifications fit only four LIV Golf players: Koepka, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith.
My take: Bull. Of course they are developing contingencies if LIV folds. Rolapp would be wise to not make it too punitive. The PGA Tour could use all those players mentioned and DeChambeau might be the most popular player on the planet — he's a huge attendance draw with a massive online following. The PGA Tour is plenty strong right now to not need anyone else — the others can Q-School or Korn Ferry Tour or whatever to get back in, including Dustin Johnson. Maybe Joaquin Niemann, but everyone else can pound sand.
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