Former LIV Golf player Hudson Swafford confirmed in a press conference that he has a five-year ban from the PGA Tour. The 37-year-old golfer joined LIV Golf in 2022, but after the end of the contract, he intended to return to the PGA Tour.
GOLF's Subpar was an opportunity for an experienced golfer to share new information, but also his view of the current situation. He believes that the PGA makes such moves solely because of the well-known LIV stars whose contracts expire next season. He feels that the PGA wants to bring back such players under new conditions.
"I know they're basing that on a couple of people's contracts being up after the '26 season," Swafford said, as reported by Golf Magic.
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"So then they can kind of change rules in favour of everybody coming back.
"I know some guys who didn't have any status on the PGA Tour, it's a hard one-year [suspension], not PGA Tour-sanctioned events, but then you can come back and play. "
Different treatment
He is clearly frustrated by the different treatment, as some of the golfers received a one-year ban, while on the other hand, he will have to wait and be patient for another two years.
In addition, the PGA Tour format, which is significantly different, is also a cause for concern for this experienced golfer who is not sure what to expect in two years.
It is clear that the situation is very complicated for him, but it seems that he was the initiator of such things with his decision.
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"But problem is if I come in and talk to them, it's like, 'O.K., I can come back and play in '27, but what does '27 on the PGA Tour really look like?'
It is no more opposite field events? They're already reducing fields. So I would go ahead and bet and say that the past champions category is pretty much done going forward after this year.
We can agree or disagree, but it just seems like that and they've kind of told me."
Swafford admits that he knew there would be consequences, but he did not expect the suspension to last in the long run, just like his colleagues.
He, on the other hand, expects unification to happen, considering it the best solution.
