Six-time PGA Tour winner Lucas Glover has firmly expressed his opposition to the return of LIV Golf players to the PGA Tour amid ongoing merger talks between the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league and the PGA Tour. This firm stance comes as negotiations remain deadlocked, with no resolution reached as of April 2024.
The talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have stalled once again after LIV reportedly proposed a $1.5 billion offer to reunify the leagues, an offer the PGA Tour rejected, considering it inadequate. Glover, a major champion, voiced his discomfort with the possibility of LIV golfers rejoining the American golf circuit during his SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio show.
On his program, Glover did not hold back his feelings. He made it clear that he personally does not want to compete alongside LIV players, arguing that they made a conscious choice to leave the tour and effectively take a different, easier route. His comments highlighted his frustration with their potential reintegration.
“I don’t want to play with them. Me, personally, I don’t think they should be back here. I don’t want them here. They made their decision, and I don’t blame any of them. They made a decision — I don’t care. But they also went away from this Tour and chose to.” —Lucas Glover
The Greenville native shared that he has dedicated over two decades of his life to the PGA Tour, investing his passion and effort into building his career there. He believes that the LIV players opted for what he calls the “path of less resistance” and should not benefit from the achievements made by those who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour.
Despite his strong emotions, Glover admitted that advisors encouraged him to focus on the broader perspective—growing the sport of golf as a whole instead of harboring resentment. Nevertheless, he acknowledged the difficulty in fully setting aside his personal feelings toward the situation.
“…You’ve got to take emotion out of it sometimes — but it’s still very hard for me because this is still my dream. And I chose to stay. And after I chose to stay, I had success.” —Lucas Glover
Speaking on behalf of the PGA Tour, Glover stated that the organization is now concentrating on moving forward despite past conflicts. He also recognized that if some prominent LIV golfers help draw more attention to professional golf, then the merger might ultimately benefit the game as a whole.
Lucas Glover Reflects on Early Career Boost from John Deere Classic
During his SiriusXM show, Lucas Glover reflected on how the John Deere Classic played a pivotal role early in his career. He recalled making his third PGA Tour cut at this tournament in 2002 and later winning the event in 2021. Glover credited the tournament with giving many young players their necessary break in professional golf.
“I got a start here, Matt got me a start here in the summer of ‘02… This tournament always seems to provide young players with early starts and jumpstarts to their career. You’ll see a lot of that.” —Lucas Glover
In 2025, Glover is competing in the John Deere Classic for the 18th time. While he has yet to capture a PGA Tour title this season, his best finish came at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he tied for third place. His career remains focused on consistent performance and further success on the tour.