Former major champion Tom Lehman has urged the PGA Tour to impose severe penalties on golfers returning from LIV Golf. In an interview, he argued that such players should start with no status and work their way up from the bottom.
Lehman, the 1996 Open winner, spoke to Skratch during U.S. Open week. He said returning players who left for more than 12 months should receive zero status and begin behind Tour school or on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Lehman stated that past achievements should not matter. “You’re at the bottom of the barrel,” he said, adding that players must earn eligibility through sponsor invites or lower tours.
He criticized lenient returns, calling them wrong and a terrible idea. The comments come as LIV faces funding changes after the 2026 season, raising questions about potential player moves back to the PGA Tour.
