McIlroy: ‘I don’t think there should be a punishment’ for LIV returnees

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – One of the biggest hurdles negotiators on both sides of the PGA Tour-LIV Golf divide face as they continue to work toward a potential definitive agreement is how players who joined the breakaway circuit, and violated the Tour’s policies, would be allowed back onto the PGA Tour.

In June’s framework agreement, the Tour, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the DP World Tour agreed to “work cooperatively and in good faith to establish a fair and objective process for any players who desire to re-apply for membership.” According to various sources, what exactly that process would look like has been a focal point of the negotiations.

Many players who joined LIV Golf have suggested they wouldn’t be interested in penalties or fines to return to the Tour, while the general desire among many Tour players is for some form of punishment. But that could be changing.

Rory McIlroy had been one of the most outspoken critics of LIV Golf, but he’s softened his stance in recent months and on Tuesday at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am he opened the door for those who joined LIV Golf to return to the Tour without penalty.

“I think life is about choices. Guys made choices to go and play LIV, guys made choices to stay here. If people still have eligibility on this tour and they want to come back and play or you want to try and do something, let them come back,” McIlroy said.

At issue is how the Tour would balance the need for some sort of punishment with the negotiated terms of a potential deal with the PIF and how much players who joined LIV Golf would be willing to endure. There’s no easy answer and the issue seems to have become a sticking point in the negotiations.

“I think it’s hard to punish people,” McIlroy said. “I don’t think there should be a punishment, obviously I’ve changed my tune on that because I see where golf is and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and having a diminished LIV tour or anything else is bad for both parties.

“It would be much better being together and moving forward together for the good of the game. The faster that we can all get back together and start to play and start to have the strongest fields possible, I think is great for golf.”