Scottie Scheffler‘s stance isn’t changing. He doesn’t have answers on golf’s reunification, but he knows who might — or at least who he thinks should.
On Wednesday, during his pre-tournament press conference at the Charles Schwab Challenge, the World No. 1 was asked if he knew where things stood with negotiations between the PGA Tour and PIF to bring the game’s best players back together regularly again.
He offered a similar message to what he has delivered in the past.
“I don’t really know, that’s for the higher-ups to decide,” said Scheffler, who won his third major title at the PGA Championship on Sunday. “I have said it a few times this year. If you want to figure out what’s going to happen in the game of golf, go to the other tour and ask those guys.”
Scheffler offered similar feedback at the Players Championship last year. The PGA Tour and Saudi Public Investment Fund agreed to a framework deal in June 2023 to bring the Tour and the PIF-funded LIV Golf back together, but a final agreement, which was initially given a deadline of Dec. 31, 2023, has not been reached.
“If the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left,” Scheffler said at the 2024 Players. “We had a tour, we were all together and the people that left are no longer here. At the end of the day, that’s where the splintering comes from.”
Last week’s PGA Championship was one of the rare times when Scheffler and other members of the PGA Tour get to play against pros who signed with LIV Golf. LIV players are still banned from regular PGA Tour events.
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LIV stars Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau were among those vying with Scheffler down the stretch for the Wanamaker Trophy before Rahm collapsed and Scheffler separated himself late on the back nine to win by five strokes.
On Wednesday, Scheffler reiterated that it’s on players like Rahm and DeChambeau to bring the game’s best back together on one Tour.
“I’m still here playing the PGA Tour. We had a tour where we all played together, and the guys that left, it’s their responsibility, I think, to bring the tours back together,” Scheffler said. “Go see where they’re playing this week and ask them.”
In March of this year, Scheffler said he holds no “ill will” against any of the players who left the PGA Tour for LIV.
“If we want to figure out why the game of golf is not back together, go ask those guys,” he said on a pre-Masters media call. “Go to wherever they are playing this week and figure out when the game is going to come back together.”
Scheffler may keep giving the same answer, but the questions won’t stop coming.
