PGA Tour players team up to stop rivals from joining in a tough showdown
Several PGA Tour players are reportedly preparing to make things difficult if Bryson DeChambeau tries to come back.
This has been one of the biggest stories in golf recently. Back in April, it was confirmed that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) will stop supporting LIV Golf after the 2026 season.
Right now, the PGA Tour is on a 47-day break while the US Open and The Open take place. The tour will start again in England on July 23–26.
LIV Golf’s 2026 season will finish in late August, leaving many players wondering what’s next for them. LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil is still searching for new investors to raise $300 million to keep the league going, while some top players think about moving elsewhere.
One of the biggest names linked to a possible move is DeChambeau. He might return to the PGA Tour or maybe focus more on his YouTube channel, playing only the four major tournaments.
But if he tries to come back to the PGA Tour, he could face strong resistance. Some players are said to remember every negative thing DeChambeau has said about the PGA Tour since he left for LIV Golf.
According to ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, there’s a lot of “scar tissue” from when DeChambeau left, so getting back won’t be easy.
“He’s the most divisive player when it comes to whether he’ll be allowed back,” Schlabach said on The Pat McAfee Show. “There will definitely be a big penalty if he wants to return. Some guys have memorized all the negative comments he’s made about the PGA Tour over the last few years. There’s a lot of hard feelings toward Bryson. He’s very popular with kids, but he might be making YouTube videos for a while before he gets a chance to play again on the PGA Tour.”
If DeChambeau does return, he won’t be the first. Brooks Koepka left LIV Golf and came back to the PGA Tour in January, but it wasn’t easy or cheap.
Koepka agreed to a five-year ban from the PGA Tour’s player equity program, which could be worth $50-80 million. He also had to donate $5 million to charity and lost eligibility for the 2026 FedExCup bonus.
We don’t know exactly what DeChambeau would have to give up to come back, but it looks like the PGA Tour and its players would make his terms even tougher than Koepka’s.