Present at Pebble Beach (California) for the second Signature Event of the season on the PGA Tour, Rory McIlroy discussed the potential return of LIV Golf players to the American circuit during a press conference. According to the Northern Irishman, they should not face any consequences.
However, his playing partners hold a different opinion. Rickie Fowler told the New York Post that the reintegration of LIV members into the circuit could not occur “directly.” Justin Thomas echoed this sentiment, stating in Phoenix on Tuesday, “Many of us have made sacrifices… I would find it difficult to accept LIV members returning without facing any penalties.” On Wednesday, world number one Scottie Scheffler also expressed similar sentiments. “It’s a complex issue,” the top-ranked player told Golf Channel on Wednesday. “I believe there are varying degrees of players who departed. You have individuals who left our Tour and pursued other options, which was not received well. And then you have others who simply left to explore something different. Everyone made their own decision, and I bear no ill will towards those who left. However, it would not be widely accepted if they returned as if nothing had occurred. There should be a path for them to come back, but they should definitely not be allowed to return without making some sort of contribution to the Tour.” “I believe that is the perspective of most players who remained,” Scheffler added, who shares the same agent as Brooks Koepka.
When pressed to clarify what this contribution should entail, Scheffler chose not to elaborate further on the matter. “I’m uncertain what it could be, but there should be something,” added the two-time WM Phoenix Open champion. “I believe that is the perspective of most players who remained. You know, we remained loyal to a circuit, a circuit that demonstrated loyalty to us. I have built my entire career here, on the PGA Tour, and I had no desire to leave it. I had always dreamed of competing on this circuit. Perhaps leaving was not the right decision for some of the individuals who departed, but if they desire a way back, there should be one. However, it certainly should not be as simple as returning whenever they please. There should be some conditions in place for them to rejoin our circuit.”
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org