The PGA Tour is preparing to change its competitive structure as it looks toward 2028, placing greater emphasis on bringing the top players together more often. The discussion comes as the future of LIV Golf is also under scrutiny following changes surrounding its funding and operations.
The topic was raised with Scottie Scheffler during his official pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, August 19, ahead of the BMW Championship at Bellerive Golf Course. Scheffler was first asked about the direction of the PGA Tour before questions turned to LIV Golf and the possibility of players returning.
Scottie Scheffler Welcomes Some LIV Players Back With Penalties
On the incoming changes, he said:
“Getting the best players competing against each other more often is what
Scottie Scheffler said he would welcome some LIV Golf players back to the PGA Tour, while making clear that returning players should face some form of penalty.
“When we talk about the best players, LIV has a few players that are really good,” Scheffler said. “I think the depth that we have on our tour is a bit unmatched, but when you look at the higher levels of LIV Golf, there are definitely some players that would provide a lot of value to the tour and guys that I love competing against as well.”
Scheffler then addressed what a potential return could look like.
“So I think going forward, there obviously has to be, I think, some sort of penalties,” he said. “What those are, I’ll let Rolapp and all those guys figure it out.”
The PGA Tour previously allowed Brooks Koepka to return under specific conditions. Koepka was required to pay $5 million to charity, could not play in $20 million signature events unless he earned his way in, and did not receive access to equity.
The PGA Tour later extended similar return opportunities to Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cameron Smith.
Scheffler stopped short of naming which LIV players he believes should return or outlining what penalties should apply. Instead, he left those decisions to PGA Tour leadership and the players themselves.
Ultimately, Scheffler framed the issue in terms of competition rather than the ongoing PGA Tour-LIV rivalry.
His priority is seeing the best players in the world competing against each other more often, and he believes some of LIV Golf’s top talent could add value to the PGA Tour if they return.
PGA Tour Changes Aim to Bring Top Players Together
Before discussing LIV Golf, Scheffler explained why he supports the direction of the PGA Tour’s upcoming changes.
“Getting the best players competing against each other more often is, I think, what everybody wants for us as players,” Scheffler said. “I assume you guys in the media, that’s what you would want to see. I assume that’s what the fans want as well.”
He also pointed to the difficulty of ranking golfers when they do not regularly compete against one another.
“Golf has always been a difficult game to rank when you’re not playing head-to-head,” Scheffler said.
“And so getting the best players playing head to head more often than not, in a proper golf tournament, I think is the best way to do things.”
That focus also shaped his comments about LIV Golf. Scheffler said there are players on LIV he enjoys competing against and believes can compete on the PGA Tour.
“For me being able to compete against the best players in the world, there’s certainly some guys on that tour that can compete out here,” Scheffler said. “I look forward to the chance to compete with them more often.”
The comments come as LIV Golf’s future is in question, with the league’s event near Indianapolis marking the final tournament of a league undergoing changes to its funding and operating structure.
Scottie Scheffler Opens Door to LIV Golf Stars With One Condition