After nearly three years, professional golf is reportedly close to healing as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and the PGA Tour near a merger agreement.
In November 2024, speculative reports suggested the PIF was close to acquiring 11% of PGA Tour Enterprises. However, no news emerged during December and January.
Thankfully, February 2025 could prove a landmark month for the future of professional golf.
Jay Monahan and Adam Scott’s meeting with President Donald Trump has proven significant, and after PIF chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan joined the latest round of talks, the end appears to be in sight.
Golf Channel pundit Rex Hoggard has even suggested that LIV golfers could play in The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass next month.
With such an eventuality in mind, The Golfing Gazette has examined five players the PGA Tour could invite back for its flagship event.
Bryson DeChambeau
The first name to be invited back will likely be two-time US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau. Most of the players who moved to LIV saw their reputations take a serious hit; step forward, Phil Mickelson. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth for DeChambeau.
Since moving to the PIF-backed league, DeChambeau has transformed his reputation and fully embraced the challenge of growing the game. The American’s YouTube channel has helped him become one of golf’s most popular players, and there’s no doubt he would be welcomed back by those watching on at TPC Sawgrass.
Phil Mickelson
A slightly more controversial addition would be six-time major winner Mickelson. The lefty has become a polarising figure since he quit the PGA Tour, and Mickelson has not been overly complimentary to Jay Monahan and the Tour hierarchy since he moved to LIV.
However, Tiger Woods aside, few players have moved the needle in the same way Mickelson has over the past 25 years. Regardless of where his reputation lies, Mickelson is still one of the game’s biggest draws and would undoubtedly provide an interesting storyline at the 2025 Players Championship.
Jon Rahm
When looking at pure golfing ability, two-time major winner Jon Rahm must be part of the field if a LIV Golf merger is reached. The Spaniard is by far and away the best player on the Saudi-backed golfing venture and would be one of the world’s top-ranked golfers if LIV received world ranking points.
Rahm has struggled in the majors since moving to LIV, and the 2025 Players Championship would give the 2021 US Open champ a chance to show he’s capable of competing against Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.
Patrick Reed
Another controversial inclusion is Patrick Reed. The Texan was never the most popular player on the PGA Tour, and the 34-year-old was probably relieved to sign his LIV contract and quit golf’s traditional circuit.
After Reed was hit with allegations of cheating in 2019, his reputation took a serious dent. However, on LIV, the Texan has slowly rebuilt his career. Reed would no doubt relish the chance to return at TPC Sawgrass and vie for a win that has so far alluded him.
Joaquin Niemann
Joaquin Niemann, along with Rahm, has been one of LIV’s standout performers over the past two years. The Chilean is rarely outside the top ten on the Saudi-backed league.
Niemann, however, has yet to prove himself in the major championships, and questions have emerged on whether he’s truly one of golf’s elite players at this point. Having won two PGA Tour events previously, the 26-year-old will be eager to tee it up at Sawgrass if the opportunity arises and demonstrate why his form on LIV should be taken seriously.
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