Former major champions Tom Lehman and Steve Stricker expressed conflicting views on the reintegration of LIV Golf players into traditional American circuits as the Saudi-backed league faces severe financial uncertainty for its 2027 season.
The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announced it will halt financial backing for LIV Golf after the current season, forcing league officials to pitch a scaled-back 10-event schedule to secure $300 million from new private investors.
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Lehman Calls for Strict Penalties
Speaking on the Beyond The Clubhouse Podcast, 1996 Open champion Tom Lehman argued that returning defectors like Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka should lose all prior exemptions and face strict regulatory penalties.
"You know, I would have a policy that says if you leave the PGA tour for more than 12 months to play in a competing tour, and then you want to come back, you can come back, but you don’t come back with any kind of status whatsoever," said Lehman.
Lehman insisted that star players must earn their way back through the Korn Ferry Tour or rely solely on sponsor invitations, rather than utilizing special programs like the newly established Returning Member Program.
"You’re at the bottom of the barrel," added Lehman.
The former world number one emphasized that a player's historical achievements should be completely disregarded by officials during the reinstatement process.
"So if you went away as a top 50, you know, in the world rankings, or a major champion, you know, I don’t care what your status is," stated Lehman.
