LIV Golf professional Anirban Lahiri has firmly rejected suggestions that players from the Saudi-backed circuit are desperate to return to the PGA Tour, branding such claims as misinformation.
“I will not name names, but I know at least a dozen players who’d rather not play golf than go back to the PGA Tour,” Lahiri told The Times.
“To generalise that everybody is falling over backwards to come back to the PGA Tour is the same kind of propaganda we’ve had for four years.”
The Indian golfer acknowledged uncertainty surrounding his own future but dismissed any immediate concerns about his next steps.
LIV Golf professional Anirban Lahiri has hit out at ‘PGA propaganda’
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Fellow LIV competitor Thomas Detry has echoed similar sentiments, declaring his complete dedication to the breakaway league’s future.
Speaking on the “Beyond the Clubhouse” podcast, the Belgian golfer dismissed widespread speculation about player dissatisfaction as false.
“You see sometimes on social media that the players hate it and want to come back and that’s not the truth,” Detry said.
“Players really love it out here and want to make this successful.”
The former PGA Tour winner urged his colleagues to demonstrate solidarity during this challenging period, arguing that individualistic behaviour would undermine the league’s prospects.
Anirban Lahiri insisted he knows plenty of golfers who’d rather quit the sport than return to the PGA
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“I’m fully supportive of the whole thing and believe in the future of LIV,” he added.
The players’ defiance comes amid significant uncertainty following the Public Investment Fund’s announcement that it will cease backing LIV Golf after the current season.
Any golfer seeking to rejoin the PGA Tour would face substantial obstacles, including a year-long suspension and the requirement to navigate qualifying school to obtain a tour card.
Financial penalties could also apply, as demonstrated by Brooks Koepka’s recent departure from LIV.
PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp has indicated that returning players would not receive equal treatment, stating the organisation is interested only in those who can genuinely strengthen their platform rather than offering blanket readmission.
The future of LIV Golf is up in the air with the Saudis pulling funding | PA
LIV Golf has moved to secure its long-term viability by appointing investment bank Ducera Partners LLC to identify potential investors and develop a multi-partner ownership structure.
The league recently struck a broadcast agreement with Sony Pictures Networks India, signalling chief executive Scott O’Neil’s determination to maintain operations beyond the current funding arrangement.
Lahiri expressed confidence in the organisation’s strategic direction, noting that while attracting sports investment is relatively straightforward, building a sustainable business model presents the greater challenge.
He highlighted LIV’s unique position as the only golf circuit operating at a truly global scale, suggesting this provides a distinct competitive advantage in securing future backing.