Justin Thomas hopes the PGA Tour can soon answer the looming LIV 1 question

With the 2025 golf season done and dusted and 2026 on the horizon, the world of men’s professional golf remains fractured, with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf making little progress toward reuniting the sport.

Recently, both Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau cast doubt for the possibility of a deal being finalized in the coming months. LIV it’s full steam ahead as the fifth season approaches. The breakaway league recently decided to switch to 72 holes and it is hopefully soon it will be accredited by OWGR. Meanwhile, the PGA Tour is in the early stages of reshaping itself under new CEO Brian Rolapp.

Men’s professional golf’s big reunion seems to be on the back burner for now. But there’s a looming question that could hold the key to unlocking the path to the game’s return. What is the path back to the PGA Tour for those who went to LIV?

While none of the big names who left for LIV have yet attempted to return to the PGA Tour, rumors have swirled about Brooks Koepka’s future with the breakaway league for more than a year. Early last year, Fred Couples suggested that Koepka was preparing to exit LIV and return to the PGA Tour. Earlier this month, Journal Business Sports’ Josh Carpenter reported that Koepka could sit out the 2026 LIV season to serve a 12-month PGA Tour suspension before returning.

The rumors swirling about Koepka’s future illustrate how important it is for the PGA Tour to find a way back. The decision is over Justin Thomas’ “salary grade”, but he hopes it will be resolved soon so the best players can play under one umbrella again.

“I think a lot of us, I think even LIV is involved, just like the tournament players long that, and we just want a scenario or situation where we’re all playing,” Thomas said Trey Wingo on Straight facts Homie podcast“Of course, they have so many great players and the best players in the world. So why shouldn’t we love them?

“Hopefully, sooner rather than later, something happens, just for the benefit of everyone who wants to watch golf,” Thomas continued. “I think the buzz is at least settled on how bad it was a few years ago or whatever. But, I’m sure, some of those guys, maybe it didn’t go the way they planned or the way they hoped, where I’m sure you’re looking at, like how badly Jon Rahm would love to play Torrey Pines and Riviera and The Players. I think what he likes and things like that. But hopefully, you know, it might be something at some point, right?”

In August, Rolapp, then 22 days into the job, said he had not yet spoken to anyone at Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund about the reunion.

“I think my main focus will be on strengthening the tournament, and a clean sheet means a clean sheet. Whatever that does, I’m going to aggressively pursue. That’s how I see it,” Rolapp said.

“I’m going to focus on what I can control. I’m going to give you the best collection of players in the world to be on the PGA Tour. I think there’s a number of indicators that show that, from rankings to viewership to whatever you want to pick. I’m going to build on that and build on that. I’ll also say that to the extent that we’re going to do further, to the extent that we’re going to be able to do, we’re going to build on that. I’m interested in exploring anything that strengthens the PGA Tour.”

In November, LIV CEO Scott O’Neil said he and Rolapp had discussed the future of golf and were on the same page. However, he gave no indication that a merger was imminent.

“Overall we have a shared view of what the golf landscape could be or should be over the next several years,” O’Neil said in Sportico’s Sports Investment Conference. “There’s an opportunity for the entire golf world to come together and grow this pie.”

At least for now, it seems both tournaments are content to sail in their separate directions.

The PGA Tour season will begin at the Sony Open on January 15-18. LIV will begin its season in Riyadh on February 4-7.

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