LIV Golf’s bankruptcy may have made some players think about leaving, but the PGA Tour does not seem ready to welcome them back. According to insider David Rumsey, agents for LIV players have already contacted the PGA Tour, but their calls are reportedly being rejected almost immediately.
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Rumsey shared the details in a post on X, quoting Golfweek columnist Eamon Lynch: “A number of agents have already called lower level officials at the PGA Tour to inquire about options, but those calls terminate after two questions: Is your client out of contract with LIV? Can you demonstrate that fact?” Lynch’s column, titled “Finally, after four years and $5.5 billion, LIV Golf isn’t only morally bankrupt,” says these two questions are the main roadblock between LIV’s stars and any serious return to the PGA Tour.
What makes this notable is that no player has officially asked to return yet. Instead, the interest is coming from behind the scenes. Several agents have reportedly reached out to Tour officials, including lower-level staff, showing that some unnamed LIV players may be considering a return. But the PGA Tour’s response has been clear. Officials are not discussing return plans, eligibility rules, or possible terms. They are ending the conversations until the agents can prove that their clients are legally free from LIV. Right now, very few players can do that.
That is because bankruptcy does not automatically cancel a player’s contract. LIV has asked a New Jersey bankruptcy judge for permission to reject its existing player deals, including contracts with Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Phil Mickelson. According to Axios, LIV argued that these contracts “do not reflect the contemplated compensation structure under LIV 2.0.” Sky Sports has reported that the filing could effectively end those multi-year deals and remove the players’ old exclusivity commitments, while their unpaid claims would be handled separately in court.
However, there is an important difference between LIV asking to cancel contracts and players being officially and legally released from them. The PGA Tour appears to be waiting for clear proof of that release before it will even begin discussing a possible return.
There is also uncertainty over LIV’s own future. Its proposed “LIV 2.0” plan is still being negotiated with private equity firm BC Partners. Under the plan, many of the league’s expensive contracts could be removed and replaced with a new payment structure. This leaves some players facing two uncertain options: a reworked LIV that may look very different from what they originally signed up for, and a PGA Tour that will not open its doors until their legal exit is fully confirmed.
Jon Rahm is a clear example of how uncertain the situation remains. Speaking to BBC Sport at the Irish Open this week, Rahm was asked whether he wanted a route back to the PGA Tour. He did not show interest in leaving LIV.
“I still have a contract with LIV 1.0 that I’m more than willing to fulfill,” Rahm said. “So, like I said, time will tell.”
His comments suggest that at least one of LIV’s biggest names is not currently looking for a way out, despite the uncertainty surrounding the bankruptcy.
Bryson DeChambeau’s situation is less clear. He is LIV’s biggest commercial star, and Golf Digest has reported that his representatives have already looked into his options. Sources said his opinion of LIV has “shifted” because he feels the league “underdelivered on its initial vision.” However, there is still no sign that DeChambeau has officially asked to return to the PGA Tour. Even if he becomes free from his LIV contract, that would only be the first step in a much longer process.
Cameron Smith’s name also adds weight to the story because he has already turned down a return once. In January 2026, the PGA Tour introduced its Returning Member Program after Brooks Koepka left LIV. Smith, Jon Rahm, and DeChambeau were all eligible, but all three publicly turned it down.
“I’ve made my bed, and I’m going to sleep in it,” Smith said at the time. “I’m going to stay. I’ve made a decision to come here, and I’m standing by it.”
Dustin Johnson and Tyrrell Hatton are also among the major LIV players listed as creditors in the bankruptcy filing. The league reportedly owes them between $3.4 million and $5.5 million each. But being owed money by LIV does not automatically mean they want to leave the league.
The only clear example of a player returning is Brooks Koepka. His experience also shows how costly the process can be. Under the Returning Member Program, Koepka had to give up PGA Tour equity grants for five years. He was also barred from receiving FedEx Cup bonus money and $20 million signature-event sponsor exemptions that season. In addition, he had to make a $5 million charitable donation as part of his return deal. Despite those conditions, Koepka remains the sole player to have completed the move back.
It remains unclear whether the same return route is still available. PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said at the Tour Championship in late August that there were “no current plans” to bring back the Returning Member Program in the same form used by Koepka.
Some current PGA Tour players have also made it clear that they do not support an easy return for LIV golfers. Rory McIlroy addressed the issue at the BMW Championship and questioned what value those players had brought to LIV.
“I would argue, have they brought value to LIV?”
So, for now, the story is not that LIV’s biggest stars are returning. It is that their agents are quietly exploring the possibility that the old return pathway may no longer be available, and the PGA Tour is demanding legal proof that most LIV players still cannot provide.