Justin Thomas has had say on returning LIV Golf gamers to the PGA Tour, after Rory McIlroy claimed he would welcome the insurgent stars again with out punishment. McIlroy has been one in all LIV's greatest critics since its formation in 2022, however has softened his stance in latest months.

His newest u-turn got here at Pebble Beach final week, the place he claimed the likes of Jon Rahm, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka needs to be allowed to make a return to the Tour, regardless of their LIV loyalties. "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," he stated at Pebble Beach final week.

"I mean I think it's hard to punish people. I don't think there should be a punishment for... 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."

One of McIlroy's fellow PGA Tour stars in Thomas nevertheless, shouldn't be on the identical web page, as he addressed the proposal forward of this week's Waste Management Phoenix Open."I would say that there's a handful of players on LIV that would make the tour a better place," he claimed.

"But I'm definitely not in the agreement that they should just be able to come back that easily. I think there's a lot of us that made sacrifices and were very whether it's true to our word or what we believe in or just didn't make that decision.

"I completely perceive that issues are altering and issues are getting higher. I'd have a tough time with it, and I feel a variety of guys would have a tough time with it, and I'm positive we need not persuade you why we'd have a tough time with it."

Thomas is not alone in his punishment stance, with Rickie Fowler sharing a similar opinion on Mickelson and co making a comeback without punishment. Fowler said at Pebble Beach in the wake of McIlroy's comments:"Yeah, so far as selections to go elsewhere and simply welcome again, I do not suppose it is a direct street.

"I mean, they made decisions and there has to be something for it. Whether how small or big, that's not up to me." It is predicted that as a part of a framework settlement between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, LIV gamers might be provided a path again to their former circuit.

After starting talks in June, the proposed merger between the 2 was dealt a blow on the finish of 2023, after they missed their December 31 deadline to log off a deal. Having entered the New Year although, the 2 sides stay in negotiations, with an settlement set to be finalised earlier than April's Masters.

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