What LIV guys would we like to see back?

A subjective ranking of the defectors still worth having in selective PGA Tour events

Bryson DeChambeau brings the “it” factor to fans on any tour (Matthew Harris/LIV Golf)

LIV Golf’s new CEO Scott O’Neil got a little out over his skis during the adrenaline rush that defines the Adelaide event in South Australia. On the broadcast, O’Neil tossed out one of those Norman-esque boasts that makes any reasonable golf observer’s eyes roll.

“You don’t have to look too far past our leaderboard to know that outside of the majors, if you want to see the best players in the world, there’s only one place to see it, and that’s at LIV," O’Neil said.

It would have been better for O’Neil if only the hearty souls who bothered to watch the broadcast had heard it, but unfortunately for him there’s social media and the soundbite made the obligatory rounds and received the obligatory mocking. It didn’t help O’Neil’s claim when there was a PGA Tour signature event going on featuring a leaderboard with Scottie Scheffler, Ludvig Åberg and a host of other star players tackling a major championship venue. Data Golf uses LIV Golf results in its rankings and only five of them are in its top 50 in the world. O’Neil needs to put down the shoeys and the mic and just work within the confines of the reality of LIV Golf’s current situation.

With a resolution to golf’s rift caused by LIV seemingly imminent with PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy optimistically using words like “unification,” it’s worth looking at which players who left for LIV still could provide value by being reincorporated into the PGA Tour.

Since LIV guys aren’t getting any Official World Golf Ranking points for their efforts on the “home” circuit, here’s a subjective ranking of the players fans would still most like to see teeing it up beyond just the majors with the best players from the PGA and DP World Tours. Let’s face it, most of the players on LIV are past their sell-by dates or unproven.

1. Bryson DeChambeau. The reigning U.S. Open champ is still No. 10 in the world and easily the most marketable player on LIV. His social media following of his homemade exploits alone proves that. Love him or hate him, the polarizing DeChambeau needs to be on stage more often with the big boys.

2. Jon Rahm. It was a major blow when the reigning Masters and 2021 U.S. Open champion jumped to LIV Golf at the end of 2023, and the PGA Tour still feels his absence. Rahm remains one of the world’s top five players regardless of what the OWGR says. And while he might not admit it, he needs to get back into legacy competition to be at his best when it matters.

Three-time LIV winner Joaquin Niemann could be the toast of South America (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)

3. Joaquin Niemann. Maybe this seems high for someone yet to contend in a major, but at 25 and a proven gamer from Riviera to Mexico to Asia to Australia to the Middle East he’s too good to be wasting his ascendant years on a secondary tour. No offense to Angel Cabrera, but the charismatic Niemann has a chance to be the best South American player since Roberto de Vicenzo. It would be nice to watch him grow into his potential.

4. Tyrrell Hatton. It’s been a year since the volatile Englishman joined LIV and he’s actually climbed to No. 8 in the world thanks to DP World Tour wins in the Dunhill Links and Dubai Desert Classic. His antics might not be for everyone’s tastes, but he’s one of the most colorful players to watch and would be a welcome re-addition.

Tyrrell Hatton is the rare LIV player who has climbed OWGR (Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)

5. Cam Smith. The 150th Open champion at St. Andrews and Players champion in 2022 seems quite content with his limited LIV schedule and home Australian events. But at 31 and still possessing one of the sweetest short games the world has ever seen, it would be nice to see him showcase it more often against the world’s best.

6. Brooks Koepka. This might seem low on the list for a five-time major winner and LIV’s most frequent winner, but Koepka has frankly always been his best on the major stages. His efforts in regular tour events were mostly low-key before and that’s not likely to change if he comes back. But his presence is desired anyway. Being ranked this low will feed his beloved no-respect narrative.

7. Patrick Reed. Every tour needs a good villain and the self-proclaimed “top-five” player gives almost everyone somebody to root against. The crickets heard when Reed won the 2018 Masters said it all. But underestimate the 34-year-old defrocked “Captain America” at your own peril. He feeds off the world’s contempt.

Whether an ace or otherwise, Patrick Reed makes fans want to throw things (Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)

8. Sergio Garcia. The 45-year-old Spaniard doesn’t have a whole lot left in the tank, but he’s still a craftsman of note when the stars align. Could he still add to his record Ryder Cup points total? Debatable. But there’s no debating that he would add significant spice as a future European captain.

9. David Puig. Only 23 years old, the Spaniard was as promising an amateur on deck as anyone when he committed to LIV out of college. His potential has shone in two Asian Tour victories and he joined Rahm in the Olympics last year. It would be nice to see how his game grows and stacks up against PGA Tour competition.

10. Tom McKibbin. The 22-year-old who hails from Rory McIlroy’s home club in Northern Ireland was all set to show what he can do after securing a PGA Tour card via the DP World Tour rankings. But he opted for financial security joining Rahm’s stacked Legion XIII team that’s as close to an ATM dispensing free cash as it gets. He’d be better off proving himself in legacy events.

11. Dean Burmester. The least sexy name on this list by far, but the 35-year-old South African has sported more game than countrymen Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace. His successes have been concentrated mostly in the African theater, though he did win a LIV event at Doral. Can he step up in class?

12. Dustin Johnson. It looks for all the world to see that the former Masters and U.S. Open champion has checked out of giving a damn about golf. But if there’s a glimmer of hope that he might be inspired again by facing his former PGA Tour mates, it would be worth having him back. At least he wouldn’t hurt the pace of play.

13. Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz. The two 33-year-old Mexican players were emerging talents and PGA Tour winners before they left for LIV and have remained competitive in their new realm. Might be nice to see what they can still do before it’s too late.

To be frank, it’s not worth going any further (sorry Scott O’Neil). Maybe there’s room for two, three or four of them on exemptions each week up to four times a season on the streamlined PGA Tour come 2026. Perhaps 10 of them can play in the Players. But there should be no guarantees for non-members. If someone with actual lingering status wants to rejoin, go for it — but the same old rules of membership still apply.

Of the rest of LIV’s 54 contracted players, Phil Mickelson might be fun now and then just to see how PGA Tour crowds and peers would react to his return at full-field events. But he’ll be 55 in 2026 and really doesn’t have anything to offer as a competitor anymore. Of course, he would be a nice addition to the senior circuit, but he’s probably burned that bridge.

The only real value left for the bulk of LIV’s “stars” would be once they turn 50. Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Martin Kaymer, Bubba Watson, Graham McDowell and Paul Casey are past being relevant but would be nice at fleshing out future PGA Tour Champions fields with recognizable names.

There are a number of unproven young talents on LIV who would warrant a shot at trying to earn PGA Tour cards like Caleb Surratt, Luis Masaveu and Fredrik Kjettrup. But they need to learn what “merit-based” means as touring pros.

As for the Talor Gooches, Jason Kokraks, Brendan Steeles and Danny Lees that make up LIV’s rank-and-file, there’s always Q School and the Korn Ferry Tour to see if they can still make it without a contract. Some might. Betting most wouldn’t even want to try.

It’ll be fascinating to see how it all shakes out when a deal is done.