The recent decision to lift the ban on LIV Golf players, allowing them to compete in PGA Tour events and other prestigious tournaments, has prompted mixed reactions from prominent PGA Tour stars like Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler.

Scottie Scheffler expressed a nuanced stance on the issue, acknowledging the complexities surrounding LIV Golf. He noted that while some players left the PGA Tour to pursue opportunities with LIV, including those who filed lawsuits against the Tour, he had no personal animosity toward them. However, he emphasized that players returning to the PGA Tour should not be treated as if nothing had happened. In his view, there should be a clear “pathway” back to the PGA, but it must come with conditions or contributions to the Tour, rather than offering an unconditional return

Xander Schauffele, on the other hand, has openly reflected on the concept of loyalty in light of the controversial merger between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Schauffele has questioned the meaning of loyalty, noting the irony and frustration felt by many players who remained loyal to the PGA. While he acknowledges that more financial investment in golf is beneficial, he also voiced disappointment at the lack of transparency and communication

from the Tour when the merger was being negotiated. For Schauffele, the emotional and ethical implications of this merger have been difficult to reconcile

These reactions reflect the broader conversation in the golf world, where the decision to allow LIV players back into the fold is viewed as both an opportunity for the sport’s growth and a complicated ethical issue for many loyal PGA players.