Sir Nick Faldo, a six-time major champion, believes golfers who participated in the LIV Golf league and wish to return to the DP World Tour may need to demonstrate humility and potentially re-qualify through traditional routes.
Faldo, who is promoting the upcoming Belfry tournament, stated that players seeking to rejoin the European-based circuit might have to "eat a bit of humble pie." He suggested that a potential pathway back could involve starting again, perhaps even by returning to tour school to work their way back up.
The LIV Golf league concluded its 2026 season recently, with its Team Championship in Michigan canceled. Some players, like Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, and Adrian Meronk, are now competing in the Husqvarna British Masters. These players are currently eligible to compete on the DP World Tour due to an agreement that allowed them to play both tours without penalty this year. Hatton, for example, has recent tournament wins that secure his DP World Tour status, and Jon Rahm also has exemptions that could allow him to rejoin if he leaves LIV.
However, Faldo expressed skepticism about the ease of reintegration for LIV players. "I'm hearing there are more players wanting to leave LIV than want to stay," Faldo told BBC Sport, adding, "So it doesn't sound good for them for the future." He questioned how players who left the traditional tour structure to join LIV would regain eligibility, suggesting it should not be a straightforward process given the disruption caused by the breakaway league.
LIV Golf's boss, Scott O'Neil, is reportedly seeking $350 million in investment to sustain the league's operations for the upcoming year, amid uncertainty about its future funding.