President Donald Trump has publicly voiced his support for bringing LIV Golf players back onto the PGA Tour now that the Saudi Public Investment Fund has announced it will cease its financial backing of the breakaway league. The timing of Trump’s comments is notable because the PGA Tour is currently hosting the Cadillac Championship on Trump National Doral, a course that bears his name, while LIV Golf has a tournament slated for the Trump-owned Potomac Club in just a couple of weeks. When asked whether the PGA should open its doors to those who have defected to LIV, the former president answered without hesitation: “I do.
I believe the best golfers should compete against each other. I want to see Rory McIlroy take on Bryson DeChambeau, I want to watch Jon Rahm go head‑to‑head with Scottie Scheffler. The LIV roster has a lot of talent, and fans love seeing everyone together.
That’s why the Masters feels so special – because all the top players are in the same field. The tour wants the elite, and you can’t have the elite if they’re boycotting.” Trump’s remarks echo a broader sentiment among many fans and commentators who feel that the sport is richer when its brightest stars share the same stage. The PGA Tour, which has been wrestling with the fallout from LIV’s aggressive recruitment and the subsequent legal battles, now faces a new reality: the primary source of LIV’s deep pockets, the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, will stop pouring money into the league after the 2026 season. This decision was confirmed just as play was underway at the Cadillac Championship, adding urgency to the conversation about the future of the split.
Former world number one Jordan Spieth, who was playing his opening round at Doral, was asked about how the transition might work if more LIV members seek to rejoin the PGA. Spieth replied that the situation is still fluid. He noted that a few weeks ago the PGA extended “olive branches” to certain players, and some, like Brooks Koepka, accepted them. Spieth wondered whether the same approach would apply to other high‑profile names such as Patrick Reed, or whether a different set of rules would be needed for those who have already faced legal action or have voluntarily left the PGA.
He expressed relief that he is not directly involved in the negotiations, trusting that the decision‑makers will find a fair solution. Sky Sports analyst Jamie Weir added a financial perspective, pointing out that the Public Investment Fund has spent close to $6 billion on LIV Golf with very little return on that investment.
“No rational investor is going to keep funding a failing business,” Weir said, emphasizing that the money that once sustained LIV is now disappearing. He predicted that many LIV players will look to unwind their contracts once the season concludes, seeking to re‑enter the traditional tours. However, he cautioned that not all players will follow the same path. Weir categorized the LIV field into three groups.
The first includes multimillion‑dollar stars such as Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, many of whom may decide to retire from competitive golf altogether. Weir suggested that Mickelson’s return to the PGA Tour is unlikely, quoting an American commentator who described the bridge between Mickelson and the PGA as “burned, decimated, destroyed.” The second group consists of eight players, led by Tyrell Hatton, who already hold DP World Tour cards. For them, a route similar to Patrick Reed’s—who successfully moved back to the PGA after his LIV stint—could be viable. The third group comprises rank‑and‑file professionals who do not draw large crowds or sponsorships.
For these players, the pathway back could be considerably more challenging, as they lack the high‑profile leverage that top stars possess. Specific cases such as Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau were highlighted as particularly interesting. Both are marquee names who received a one‑time offer from the PGA in January, an offer that also extended to Brooks Koepka.
Whether those offers will still be on the table now that the funding landscape has shifted remains uncertain, but the prospect of seeing them back on the PGA Tour has generated considerable buzz among fans and analysts alike. The broader implications for the sport are significant. A reunified field could restore the traditional hierarchy of major championships, where the world’s best compete side by side, and could also ease the tension that has been simmering among sponsors, broadcasters, and tournament organizers. For the PGA Tour, welcoming back LIV players could bolster its product, attract higher television ratings, and satisfy sponsors who have been wary of a fragmented elite.
Conversely, the Tour will need to navigate contractual complexities, potential legal disputes, and the optics of re‑integrating players who were previously seen as defectors. Meanwhile, Sky Sports continues to promote its coverage of the PGA, DP World Tour, LPGA, and the major championships, offering live streams of events such as the PGA Championship, the U.S. Open, and The Open. The network also markets golf travel packages, allowing fans to book rounds at over 1,700 courses across the United Kingdom and Ireland.
In summary, President Trump’s endorsement of a more inclusive PGA Tour aligns with a growing chorus of voices calling for the sport’s top talent to be reunited. With the Saudi fund’s exit from LIV imminent, the pressure is mounting on both the PGA and the remaining LIV leadership to craft a clear, equitable pathway for players who wish to return. The outcome will shape the competitive landscape of professional golf for years to come, influencing everything from tournament fields to sponsorship deals and fan engagement.