Webb Simpson recently opened up regarding the PGA Tour welcoming back some of the LIV Golf players. He named Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Cam Smith, and Jon Rahm as six players whom the US-based tour will allow to come back without any hesitation. He suggested that other Saudi-backed league players will have to go back to Q-school to earn their cards back.
In a recent interview with Golfweek, the former US Open champion explained that only two players, Mickelson and Johnson, have lifetime exemptions. He added that four players, Rahm, Koepka, Smith, and DeChambeau, will use their exemptions in the coming few years. On reintegrating some defectors back into the Tour, the PGA Tour Policy Board Director said,
“What we’re really talking about is probably six players (who will be desirable to the Tour). The rest will have to go to Q-school or if they want to do something on the DP World Tour.”
Only time can tell if LIV Golfers will be allowed back on the PGA Tour. Although the negotiations between the US-based Tour and Saudi’s PIF are still on, there are chances that a mutual decision might be taken to unify the game of golf again.
“I Have No Idea” – Webb Simpson Opens Up On The Status Of PGA-PIF Deal
In the same interview, the former US Open Champion was asked if the merger deal between PGA Tour and PIF was still going to happen. He replied that he was looking forward to it positively and wanted the Saudi Investors to come on board. As quoted by Golfweek, Simpson said,
“I’d love to work out a deal with the PIF and let them come in as an investor and I don’t know what that looks like, maybe it’s FedEx Cup from January through August and then we have some fun in the fall, whether that’s what we currently have plus a few team events,” Simpson said. “I have no idea. That’s something that we talked about, we’ve got to get going on, really diving in and seeing what could work.”
The PGA Tour and PIF merger deal was announced way back in June 2023. However, the deadline to reach an agreement was finalized on December 31, 2023. It eventually got delayed and by that time the US-based tour announced a deal with SSG.
There are speculations that the deal between the two parties will not happen. Although Rory McIlroy feels that there is a need to get PIF on board to unify the game of golf and so does the former US Open champion Webb Simpson wants. Now, it remains to be seen if the deal will
