PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp was quick to put the kibash on any questions about LIV Golf and the PGA Tour’s Returning Member Program during a virtual media conference call on Tuesday morning.
As LIV has entered its bankruptcy process recently, Rolapp knew he was going to be asked about the return of LIV players for the coming season and if the opportunity that was extended to a handful of players for this season and accepted by Brooks Koepka, would be on the table again to the likes of Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith given that the bankruptcy filing may have freed them up to jump ship.
Before anyone was able to pose a question on the subject, Rolapp addressed the elephant in the virtual room.
“There are really three things when it comes
to anyone who wants to compete on the PGA Tour,” he began. “One, the PGA Tour is built on meritocracy. Every player, whether they are a member or want to become one, must earn their place.
“Two, we are a membership organization; we have rules, and those rules exist for lots of reasons, including fairness and competitive balance. Rules matter, and they must be enforced.
“Which brings me to number three, accountability and discipline. These are essential elements for any sports league and are certainly for the integrity of the PGA Tour and the sport. It's what holds the Tour together. Those are guiding principles for us.
“In terms of where we are today, we are not currently contemplating a returning-member program like the one you saw in January. Everyone at the PGA Tour, myself included, has been focused on what is best for the organization. The items approved by the boards yesterday are part of the progression in building the optimal competitive model for the future. So it was really with a broader lens of how do we build the best tour. It was not really looked at specifically on any one particular — on LIV or any other consideration. So that's generally how we thought about it."
Then Rolapp proceeded to address an assortment of questions on the ins-and-outs of the new competitive model being implemented to the Tour in 2028. He confirmed that while access to the Tour’s two-tiered model of Championship and Challenger series haven’t been finalized, he expects there to be an avenue for DP World Tour top finishers to play their way onto the Tour. That means LIV players could still earn their way back via the Patrick Reed route of success on the DP World Tour. Later, when asked about the return of LIV players again, Rolapp reiterated the focus of the Future Competitions Committee was solely on creating the best product and how that likely will continue to include the DP World Tour. The two circuits are in the process of negotiating an extension of its Strategic Alliance.
"We're also thinking through and haven't made any decisions on how the DP World Tour will fit into that. You notice that's not part of the announcement. That's very much under discussion both internally and as we continue our discussions with the DP World Tour," Rolapp said.
But it doesn’t appear the Tour is going to roll out the red carpet for LIV players to come back anytime soon.
Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Brian Rolapp says PGA Tour won't roll out red carpet for LIV Golf defectors
