Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau punishments demanded by Major champion

Golf legend Lanny Wadkins has asserted that star players like Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm should incur sanctions before any return to the PGA Tour is considered.

DeChambeau, who recently described a LIV Golf course as "diabolical", alongside Koepka, who acknowledged the 'elephant in the room', were among those banned from the PGA Tour after their leap to LIV Golf. Hopes of a potential comeback were sparked in June 2023 when the PGA Tour put forth a surprising provisional agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia.

Many anticipated that part of the deal would enable LIV players to rejoin their old tour, but despite nearly two years passing, a definitive deal has yet to be endorsed.

The future remains unclear as to when or if an understanding will be ratified by both entities, but if an accord is reached, Wadkins insists defector players must not be allowed an unhindered return. Speaking on the Golf Channel, Wadkins expressed his wish to see more of Rahm, Koepka, and DeChambeau, adding, "That would be nice. But there's also got to be repercussions."

He elaborated, "I don't think you can just go to LIV, take $100m and walk back in and expect to have the same status you've always had on this tour. That's not fair to the guys who supported the tour and have been here the whole time."

"Whether it's fines, suspensions," Wadkins said. "Whatever for it to work and I'll be damned if I can figure it out. Good luck to the guys trying."

In response to the stalled negotiations, the PGA Tour has enlisted the support of former President Donald Trump.

Trump maintains connections with parties on both sides of the dispute, sparking hope that he could act as an intermediary between the Tour and those associated with the Saudi-backed fund. In an effort to reconcile the two factions, the former President has conducted several meetings at the White House recently.

Key figures such as PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan have been in attendance, alongside icons like Tiger Woods and past Masters winner Adam Scott. PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan also made an appearance, a figure familiar to Trump through the hosting of LIV events over the past years.

Solicited for his help in the matter, Trump has expressed optimism about uniting these competing golf circuits. "Ultimately, hopefully the two tours are going to merge," he commented this month.

"That'll be good. I'm involved in that, too, but hopefully we're going to get the two tours to merge. You've got the PGA Tour, you've got the LIV tour. And I think having them merge would be a great thing."