Rickie Fowler says he’s glad the decision isn’t in his hands if LIV Golf League players should be able to return to the PGA Tour without punishment.
Rickie Fowler says he’s glad the decision isn’t his whether LIV Golf players should be able to return to the PGA Tour without punishment.
Fowler was one of the high-profile players who has been targeted by the Saudi Arabia-backed tour over the last two years.
The popular PGA Tour pro revealed in previous interviews it was difficult to turn down the money.
But, he said, he has always remained steadfast in his belief the best place for men’s professional golfers is the established North American circuit.
He wants it to continue to be that way and now, the ball has been firmly thrown back in LIV’s court after the announcement of the $3bn SSG deal.
SSG, a consortium of investors from the United States, has made a substantial financial commitment to the newly formed company known as PGA Tour Enterprises.
The for-profit enterprise will provide a commitment of $1.5 billion in present and future ownership to professional golf players participating in the PGA Tour.
Fowler and other players will be granted shares in the new company according to their performance, tour ranking, and commitment for the future.
There are uncertainties regarding the potential participation of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as minority shareholders in the upcoming ventures.
If that were to occur, it would definitely resolve the division in golf that has troubled the men’s professional game since June 2022.
If that were to happen, it begs the question, should the LIV players be allowed to return to PGA Tour events without punishment?
The topic has divided opinion, to say the least.
Rory McIlroy was once a staunch advocate for financial penalties.
But now the Northern Irishman admits the breakaway tour players should be able to return because a diminished PGA Tour and LIV league is not in anyone’s interest.
“I think I’m done with trying to change people’s minds and trying to get them to see things a certain way or try to see things through my lens because that’s ultimately not the way the world works,” McIlroy told before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, conceding he never should have joined the Tour’s policy board.
McIlroy said it’s hard to punish the LIV players and now: “It would be much better being together and moving forward for the good of the game.”
Policy board member Patrick Cantlay admitted considering punishments for LIV players was not a priority in the negotiations with SSG.
“I know players feel all over the board on that issue,” Cantlay said. A robust conversation will be held in due course, he added.
So how does Fowler see it?
“Well, the good thing is the decision’s not up to me,” he said.
He continued: “[I’m] probably not in the same spot that Rory — maybe we started in a similar area, but I think there’s been a little rollercoaster ride on his part.
“I feel like I’ve kind of maintained middle ground as far as learning about LIV when it was first coming about, and my belief in the Tour and that was always my dream to play the Tour.
“[I] always thought it was the best place to play and wanted to see it continue to be that.
“We’re in a different spot a few years down the road and I feel like when I talked about Cantlay, Jordan, Tiger, those guys, they put a lot of time and effort to put us in a better spot and make sure that the Tour continues to be the best place to play.”
Fowler added: ” “I don’t believe it’s a straightforward path when it comes to making choices about leaving and being accepted back.”
“I am referring to the fact that they made choices and there must be a reason behind them.”
“It is not within my control to determine the size, whether small or large.” “It will be fascinating to observe how things unfold in the upcoming months or years.
I have been expressing my curiosity about the future for some time now, and although we find ourselves in a similar situation as a couple of years ago, there are some noticeable differences.”