Two-time DP World Tour Championship winner Matt Fitzpatrick is firmly against any LIV golfer making a return to the PGA Tour, but would be open to the idea of them competing at the Ryder Cup later this year.
Players who made the switch to the Saudi-backed league have seen their PGA Tour membership indefinitely suspended, including European Ryder Cup stars Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood.
“My personal view is that you can’t have your cake and eat it,” Fitzpatrick told Sky Sports News ahead of The Players. “I would not let people come back if they had gone to LIV, I just wouldn’t.
“Don’t get me wrong, they could turn around and say you can come and play LIV if you want, but I don’t want to do that. I want to stay here and I want to play DP World Tour and PGA Tour.
“If you have left the Tour that you have been on for so long and done so well then you have left for something you think is better, even if it maybe is not always greener.”
Thomas Pieters was the latest name to make the move to LIV Golf when he signed for the breakaway league ahead of their season-opening event in Mexico last month.
The Belgian made a huge impression on his Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine in 2016, becoming Europe’s best-ever Rookie with four points out of five appearances, forming a formidable partnership with Rory McIlroy.
The 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship winner hasn’t featured since then but seemed certain to be a shoo-in as Europe look to rebuild the squad following their devastating loss to the USA at Whistling Straits in 2021.
Does Fitzpatrick think the likes of Pieters joining LIV potentially weakens Team Europe, should he not be allowed to play?
“I would say so, definitely yeah,” said Fitzpatrick.
“Obviously I have just said there about not letting them back on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour, I completely agree with that, but the Ryder Cup is a completely different case.
“For me, I would want the 12 best players on the team. Hopefully I am one of those, to try and win win. That is what the goal should be, to try and win, not to be nice about who should be playing in my opinion.”
