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GOLF · 2 hours ago

Golf's Changing Landscape: Sergio Garcia's Potential Future

Smylie Kaufman

Smylie Kaufman

Host · Writer

Golf's Changing Landscape: Sergio Garcia's Potential Future

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From The Smylie Kaufman Show

Departing LIV Golf Players Consider Routes Back to the PGA Tour

John Robbins announced that he is out, while Sergio Garcia had his contract terminated by LIV Golf and stated that he plans to rejoin the DP World Tour. It remains unclear how that process would work because Garcia was among the players who resigned their DP World Tour memberships.

David Puge also confirmed his departure and will pursue DP World Tour membership. Adrian Barro, who recently won the Dunhill Links, will pursue membership through the status earned with that victory. If he entered through a sponsor exemption, the win may have put him in a position where he has full status and less need to negotiate with the DP World Tour.

The situation is less clear for players without structured agreements. Tyrrell Hatton has a deal with the DP World Tour, while Ron previously played hardball without a structured agreement. Now, he will need to compete regularly on the tour next year.

Eugenio Chacarra followed a similar path after leaving LIV Golf, working his way back through exemptions. He has played well this fall and sits second on the DP World Tour Order of America, putting him in position to earn his tour card. His broomstick putter and demeanor bring Vijay Singh to mind. He simply shows up in a familiar-looking outfit and plays good golf.

Patrick Reed is at the top of the current DP World Tour list, although he has yet to make a PGA Tour start this fall. He may want to finish first in that race and secure his card through that route. Reed and Chacarra currently occupy the top two positions and are both in line to earn PGA Tour cards.

The larger question is how the PGA Tour will handle the 10 cards awarded through the DP World Tour as available cards continue to decrease. The total has moved from 125 to 100 and is expected to fall to 90 for the new Championship Series. With intended field sizes of roughly 120 to 130 players and 20 Korn Ferry Tour graduates still receiving cards, the number available to DP World Tour players could become an issue.

The current 10-card system will remain in place for the 2026 season, but the criteria will change for the 2027 graduates entering in 2028. There could be five, seven or 10 former LIV Golf players attempting to return through that route after serving an effective one-year ban from their most recent LIV event. Patrick Reed effectively followed that path this year.

That will make the DP World Tour picture especially interesting next year as players decide where to compete and how many cards will be available for those trying to earn their way back to the PGA Tour.