Well, This Just Made LIV Players Returning to the PGA TOUR a Whole Lot More Interesting

Hudson Swafford—yeah, remember that name?—left the PGA TOUR in 2022 for LIV GOLF. He played on the Saudi-backed circuit in 2022 and 2024, and according to him, he’s had several conversations with the folks in Ponte Vedra about a potential return.

During a recent appearance on GOLF.com’s Subpar podcast, Swafford said he’s suspended from the TOUR until January 2027.

“I’ve had some good back and forth with the PGA TOUR, but then some wishy washy. It’s still not set in stone. I know they said I’m suspended until ‘27,” Swafford said.

But then Swafford followed up with something interesting…

“Which I know they’re basing that on a couple people’s contracts being up after the ‘26 season," he. continued. "So then they can kind of change rules in favor of everybody coming back.”

I think it’s safe to assume he’s referring to some of the big names that the TOUR is truly missing, a la Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and so on. Those suspensions run the length of their contracts with LIV. So, if those guys want to come back, it’s possible that the TOUR will open its arms.

When asked if the TOUR will welcome those guys back, Swafford said it’d be the right business decision.

“All these TOUR guys got equity in the TOUR, right? So, how would you not want Bryson and Brooks, and the likes of Dustin, and Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, all these good players to come back? That’s going to increase your value, right? Like, your TOUR is going to get better with them coming back.”

When it’s time for those guys to re-up, it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out.