Liv, Dp World Tour Veterans Make Voices Heard

Even in the world of golf—much like everywhere else on our planet—there is no peace to be found.

The competitor that has spent the last six years causing headaches for the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour is currently struggling to extricate itself from the quicksand of Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

LIV Golf is attempting to lay the groundwork for a "version 2.0" of its operation, but the endeavor is proving to be quite arduous, marked by a series of legal filings and postponements; it is fair to say that the level of uncertainty is high.

This climate has naturally fueled an exodus of players who have lost faith in the project; in just the last few days, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Ian Poulter, and Graeme McDowell have officially announced their departures.

As of today, fifteen players have committed to the new initiative led by Scott O’Neil—but will that be enough to get things off the ground?

Meanwhile, those who declined to join are seeking to find spots on other tours, navigating the various hurdles and requirements involved.

As is well known, while the DP World Tour has taken a firm stance against "LIV Golf 2.0," it is simultaneously engaged in negotiations with non-member players interested in securing invitations to tournaments on the 2027 calendar. The DPWT leadership has indicated a willingness to grant such invitations, though these would exclude all Rolex Series events.

Furthermore, those who were previously with LIV but have since regularized their standing have also been met with a receptive approach, with the tour allowing them to be reinstated to their former status and membership category. In this way, the leadership of the DPWT aims to “invigorate” tournament fields and increase the value of the European Tour product; however, they now face a new challenge: dissent from their own veterans—players who never succumbed to the allure of LIV Golf 1.0.

Scottish golfer Ewen Ferguson, currently 50th in the Race to Dubai, took to X to express a sentiment that, as it turns out, is shared by several of his peers:

“I have to say, it’s nice to see some LIV players coming back to play on the DP…”

“But it’s comical that some of them spent so long attacking the Tour—never finding a single positive thing to say about it—yet now, suddenly, it’s the greatest thing since sliced ​​bread and they feel right at home again.”

Richard Mansell:

“My friend is spot on.”

Jorge Campillo:

“We’re handing out tour cards. How are they managing to get one?”

Eddie Pepperell—long a vocal critic of the Tour—shared his thoughts on *The Chipping Forecast* Substack:

“Granting playing opportunities to LIV golfers—those who proudly represented an entity that threatened the very existence of your own business—rather than to people like me and others… feels like a betrayal.”