{"id":1160,"date":"2026-05-24T11:46:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T11:46:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/1160\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T11:46:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T11:46:50","slug":"pga-championship-2026-golf-news-inside-liv-golf-reunion-at-aronimink-what-next-for-cameron-smith-jon-rahm-and-bryson-dechambeau","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/1160\/","title":{"rendered":"PGA Championship 2026, golf news: Inside LIV Golf reunion at Aronimink, what next for Cameron Smith, Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau"},"content":{"rendered":"

The big boys of the links are feeling the tension heading into the PGA Championship <\/a>at Aronimink on Thursday. And it is getting nasty out there. <\/p>\n

Rory McIlroy is dropping truth bombs with the frequency with which he now wins at Augusta and defending champion Scottie Scheffler is giving short shrift to queries about LIV golfers.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2026 PGA Championship LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo, May 14 – 17 | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1 ><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Jon Rahm is keeping the faith while focusing on what is next. But who knows what that means. As for Bryson DeChambeau? The Scientist is out of contract and weighing the scales as he considers the future. What that looks like is unclear.<\/p>\n

But for the first time since the bombshell announcement that the Saudi Arabian Private Investment Fund is pulling its funding from LIV Golf, the world\u2019s best players are back together again for the major being held in Pennsylvania. <\/p>\n

But don\u2019t expect too much chatter about how nice the weather is given the pressure that is mounting.<\/p>\n

The uncertainty surrounding what happens with LIV, combined with the antipathy the PGA golfers hold for their former colleagues who pocketed the cash, has added an edge to the lead-in to the second major of the year.<\/p>\n

The tension has even spilt over into the sewer that is social media, with prominent golf columnist Eamon Lynch engaging in a spirited stink with LIV Golf broadcaster Arlo White in recent days. And it could get even uglier this week.<\/p>\n

Fox Golf expert analyst Paul Gow, who has spent the past month in the United States broadcasting at the Masters and other PGA Tour events, suspects the environment is ripe for some fireworks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be interesting to see what the interaction between the players is like,\u201d he told foxsports.com.au<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the first time they have all come back together since the announcement and since the Masters. At the Masters, which was the first major of the year, they\u2019d all see each other and there were a lot of \u2018hellos\u2019 and \u2018How are you goings?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI was there to witness that, standing out at the tree, and from Bryson to Graeme McDowell and all those other players who were outside, it was actually a great reception. But this is a little bit different. <\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/p>\n

\u2018WE KNEW\u2019: Rory\u2019s blindside reveal pours fuel on LIV fire; Rahm lifts lid on hot PGA claim<\/a><\/p>\n

TEE TIMES: When every Aussie tees off as blockbuster Rahm-Rory pairing headlines PGA Champs groups<\/a><\/p>\n

THE COURSE: Inside PGA\u2018s unknown brute and why a forgotten US \u2018masterpiece\u2019 could prove a \u2018tough test\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

CAM SMITH: Smith\u2019s post-LIV career is at a crossroads. Here\u2019s why his devastating split had to happen<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThe players who were playing at Augusta didn\u2019t feel threatened that their playing positions were going to be taken. But if players do come back from the LIV Tour, well, there\u2019s only 100 spots for those who manage to keep their card at the end of the year. And depending on the field sizes, because the Signature events are only 72 people whereas there\u2019s normally 128 players playing each week, there\u2019s going to be players who are not going to be happy. <\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re going to feel like their position in the field is going to be taken. Yeah, I don\u2019t think the reception is going to be as rosy.\u201d<\/p>\n

NEWTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 12: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland leaves the fourth tee in a cart during a practice round prior to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on May 12, 2026 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

But 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, while expressing regret for using the spin proffered by LIV to explain his move back in 2022, hopes the latest development might instead lead to better relations.<\/p>\n

\u201cI regret a few things I said in the beginning,\u201d McDowell told Sports Illustrated. <\/p>\n

\u201cStuff like growing the game. I should have just said it for what it was: this is good for my bank account, and I\u2019m getting a runway to play the game of golf for as long as I can.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we could have ever imagined how deep this would go. The hatred. It\u2019s funny, but if we can shift the narrative away from Saudi Arabia and bring some US money and get rid of that narrative … because that narrative is just nasty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kaufman dissects ‘diabolical’ hole 11 | 05:38<\/p>\n

WHO HOLDS THE CARDS?<\/p>\n

What happens at Aronimink over 72 holes will be fascinating, but what unfolds in the 19th hole will also be interesting as participants wrestle with what comes next for world golf.<\/p>\n

At the centre of the storm is DeChambeau, whose contract with LIV Golf ends this year, giving him a freedom to explore his options \u2026 if those options exist. <\/p>\n

Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, who is hoping to regain his status through a stint on the DP World Tour, accepted an olive branch from the PGA Tour at the start of the year and are taking different routes in a bid to reclaim their cards. <\/p>\n

Koepka, a three-time winner of the PGA Championship, has served as an alternate in recent weeks, hanging round club houses in the hope of getting a start in order to build his ranking.<\/p>\n

Brooks Koepka (R) and Bryson DeChambeau are on friendlier terms after a stint on the LIV Tour together but there is intrigue as to whether the former will rejoin the PGA Tour. (Photo by Michael Reaves \/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA \/ Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP<\/p>\n

At his first event back in San Diego in January, he acknowledged he was likely to be heckled and accepted there would be some angst surrounding the return of the prodigal golfers. <\/p>\n

By and large, the reception he received was welcoming, even though Koepka may eventually have to cough up over A$100 million in penalties, bonus forfeitures and charitable donations to regain full status on the PGA Tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t like thinking ahead at all or trying to anticipate what was going to happen, but I wasn\u2019t sure, which is kind of weird, to be honest,\u201d Koepka said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t really know but from the first tee on, it was great. It actually made me settle down a little bit and made me feel really good.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve definitely been heckled. I enjoy it. It\u2019s sports, right? Sometimes it makes you lock in and play a little better, which is always fun. I\u2019m not saying I want it all the time, so nobody thinks that. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut yeah, I cared about my perception, what people thought, what the fans thought. It\u2019s easy when you are around the players and they come and talk to you, or you talk to them, or the caddies, the people around here. But everyone else? I wasn\u2019t sure.\u201d <\/p>\n

Rory climbs into top 10 in Truist Champs | 01:55<\/p>\n

Koepka and DeChambeau were once feisty rivals, though the antipathy seems to have mellowed during their time together on the LIV Tour. <\/p>\n

But critics of DeChambeau, who has floated continuing on LIV Golf should it survive or focusing on his YouTube Channel as an alternative to returning to the PGA Tour, while not dismissing that either, have pointed out a difference between the two.<\/p>\n

They want their blood. They demand contrition. They want DeChambeau to bow and beg. <\/p>\n

But the 32-year-old, who was reportedly asking for a contract of almost A$700 million to continue on the LIV Tour prior to the Saudi\u2019s pulling a very expensive rug from underneath the tour, is a maverick and not the type to be deferential.<\/p>\n

Lynch, the GolfWeek columnist, said in a chat with Paul McGinley and Brandel Chamblee this week that the dual-US Open champion might need to alter his attitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cBryson may find himself given a term sheet like Brooks Koepka was, saying here are the conditions for coming back, and here\u2019s your charitable dollars, and here\u2019s where you can play and can\u2019t play,\u201d Lynch said on the Golf Channel.<\/p>\n

\u201cBryson needs to grasp the fact that what really matters is not what\u2019s going to be written on that document, but the things that they will not put in print. And those are two things: context and contrition.<\/p>\n

\u201c(PGA chief executive) Brian Rolapp has context here. He\u2019s going to lose giant swathes of the locker room with the changes that are going to be made to the PGA Tour and he\u2019s going to struggle uphill for the next couple of years to get everything done that he wants to do. He\u2019s not going to go out on a limb for Bryson DeChambeau if Bryson\u2019s not going to help him.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd in terms of the contrition, I think the players on the PGA Tour don\u2019t want to see the LIV guys go flagellate themselves in public, but they want some kind of acknowledgment that you done screwed up here along the way, and they are not getting it out of Bryson DeChambeau.<\/p>\n

\u201cKoepka and Reed played that game really well. But Bryson\u2019s acting as though he would be doing them a favour by coming back, that \u2018you need me more than I need you, so send me a plane and throw me a ticker-tape parade\u2019. And that\u2019s just not happening for Bryson DeChambeau.\u201d<\/p>\n

Update on the LIV fight for survival | 02:16<\/p>\n

PEACE ON THE LINKS?<\/p>\n

Former world No.1 Jordan Spieth was quizzed as whether he believed the LIV Golf stars who opted against accepting the PGA Tour olive branch earlier this year should have that opportunity offered again in light of the recent developments.<\/p>\n

Those players include Rahm, who is contracted into the 2030s, and Australian Cameron Smith, whose exemption for the American majors will finish next season unless he manages to turn his form around under a new coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure if it should be the same for everyone,\u201d Spieth said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know olive branches were given out a couple of months ago (and) Brooks took \u2018em up on it. So I\u2019m not sure what would change now. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously with, if it – and I don\u2019t even know – that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that LIVs not going to still move on, too. I think there\u2019s just too many unknowns for me to have a good gauge on what would happen there.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think if there is a system for Brooks and a system for Patrick Reed, does that stay the same for guys in the same category as those two coming back? Or does it change now? Does it change for guys who sued and dropped their membership? <\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s just a lot of different things that have happened over the last four years. I\u2019m kind of glad I\u2019m not in that room and I trust the guys that are in that room to make the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rory McIlroy said the golfers who opted to pursue a career on the LIV Tour were aware there was a risk involved in leaving the PGA Tour. Emilee Chinn\/Getty Images\/AFP (Photo by Emilee Chinn \/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA \/ Getty Images via AFP)Source: AFP<\/p>\n

Rahm is a curious case. In the weeks since the issues with LIV flared, an interview he gave back in 2023 when saying his defection could prove the \u201ctipping point\u201d at a time where it was considered there was a chance of a merger with the PGA Tour.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard, effectively, was the cake – a big, whopping cake with a massive windfall – and gambling it would not be long before he was playing PGA Tour events anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understood the weight that (my) decision could have and the impact it could have. I understood that perfectly and that\u2019s why it wasn\u2019t an easy decision,\u201d he told the BBC. <\/p>\n

\u201cLuckily, in my career, especially last year, I accomplished a lot and I got to be one of the bigger names in golf. There are few active players that could have had a bigger impact than myself in that sense. Not to be patting myself on the back too much, but I understood the position I was in.\u201d<\/p>\n

It pointed to an ego as big as John Daly\u2019s swing. And while Rahm tried to walk back those comments this week, it has been reported that some of his former PGA Tour colleagues are happy to have seen that ego pricked.<\/p>\n

Rahm was a source of discussion at the Masters. Lynch criticised him for always bringing controversy to Augusta. McIlroy and Justin Rose accused him of putting his own interests above that of Europe\u2019s Ryder Cup team.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe he\u2019s like Seve (Ballesteros). Maybe he plays better with a little bit of noise going on around him and a chip on his shoulder, but they\u2019re all of his own making, and this is the third year in a row where we\u2019ve had it,\u201d Lynch said at Augusta.<\/p>\n

Jon Rahm serves as a curious case.Source: AFP<\/p>\n

PGA tour boss Brian Rolapp, who is treading a delicate path as he tries to keep his own members happy given changes to the circuit, did not refer to Rahm specifically when noting \u201cscar tissue\u201d existed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t necessarily have scar tissue, but there are plenty of people around our tour who do,\u201d Rolapp added.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt has to be accounted for in some shape or form. We\u2019re interested in having the best players who can help our tour. Not every player can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

McIlroy said on Tuesday that whispers of LIV\u2019s potential demise were swirling in March and noted those who took the massive windfall to leave should have been aware the grass might not be greener elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just feels like the rug was pulled from under their feet and everyone was sort of blindsided by it. But, again, that\u2019s the risk that those guys chose to take,\u201d McIlroy said.<\/p>\n

It is not only the PGA Tour, which is also going through a restructure, where the tension is fraught. <\/p>\n

Richard Bland, an English pro who won two majors on the Champions Tour in 2024, is scaling back his commitments regardless of what happens with LIV Golf.<\/p>\n

He would still like to play on occasion where possible. But he doubts that will be on the seniors tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom what I\u2019ve been told, I would not be hugely welcome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs far as I\u2019m aware, I was the only senior champion to never get an exemption and that is fine, I don\u2019t have an issue with that. I think the Champions Tour have made it nigh on impossible for anyone to play and I am not going to go chasing that. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 54 years old and I\u2019m going to be banned for a year anyway. I got asked a question the other day as to whether I would consider going back to the DP Tour Q school and … \u2018No\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n

WHAT HAPPENS SHOULD LIV FOLD?<\/p>\n

The angst is one thing. <\/p>\n

Finding a path to remain viable as golfers will be more of a concern for those on the breakaway tour should LIV chief executive Scott O\u2019Neil fail to secure viable funding.<\/p>\n

Reed is seeking to earn a path back via the DP World Tour. Rahm has paid all his fines levied on him by the DP World Tour in order to become available for the 2027 Ryder Cup.<\/p>\n

McIlroy said this week he is glad that Rahm and the DP World have finally come to an agreement. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think as a European Ryder Cup player, we all know that having Jon on the team is better than not having him on the team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad that they came to an agreement. It took him a little longer to get there than some of the other guys, but he got there in the end, thankfully.<\/p>\n

Gow, for his part, believes that if Aussies including Smith, Marc Leishman and last week\u2019s LIV Virginia winner Lucas Herbert need to find an exit ramp, there are options available.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow I think they will probably go through the European Tour and as long as that alliance (with the DP Tour) stays together, they will be fine,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe other thing that could happen with someone like Cam Smith and Marc Leishman, and possibly Lucas Herbert who is past winner on the European tour \u2026 they might come back and Marc Leishman did it last year, on the Australian tour, and they could play more events.<\/p>\n

Rahm Ryder Cup ready after striking deal | 01:29<\/p>\n

Cameron Smith is among those facing an uncertain future if LIV Golf is not able to secure the funding to replace the gap caused by the Saudi Arabian PIF withdrawing its backing. (Photo by Emilee Chinn\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cThey could play the Victorian Open. They could play the New South Wales Open. They can play a number of events to keep themselves sharp, because they always come back anyway. All the Aussies always come back for the Australian Open, the Australian PGA Championships. And it is not like they are playing for a bucket load of money. They love coming back here and playing. So there could be a possibility that we get more players play at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they could go and play the Asian tour, which is something that hasn\u2019t been spoken about. The money will be stopped that is going to the Asian tour from the sovereign fund, so that\u2019s another question. How will they survive without the influx of money that was there? <\/p>\n

\u201cSome might go to the Japanese tour. It might open up an avenue for these players to play, but I think at this particular time, the avenue for any of those players on the LIV Tour, if it doesn\u2019t survive, that they will go and play the European tour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Draining a putt from above the hole this week will be tough at Aronimink. But it might be even harder for some players to hold their tongue and retain their cool given the potential for another drastic change in the golf landscape.<\/p>\n

SA Goverment snares Aus Open | 01:15<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The big boys of the links are feeling the tension heading into the PGA Championship at Aronimink on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1161,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[401,405,1202,422,1163,987,976,1159,1148,1189,1187,1180,504,1183,1172,182,1160,825,965,1151,962,1181,1161,1190,1162,517,1154,1171,509,1175,44,1191,1198,1152,1168,1153,1176,1184,1185,1146,1195,1192,830,829,1173,1201,1179,400,421,513,1169,968,1204,1186,1149,1188,1193,1200,1155,1112,1147,1174,1177,399,1156,503,1199,1197,508,208,1157,1178,1165,1182,1150,1170,1158,1164,1167,1166,1196,1194,1203,398,505],"class_list":["post-1160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-agence-france-presse","tag-america","tag-arlo-white","tag-asia","tag-asian-tour","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-tour","tag-bank-account","tag-blindside-reveal","tag-bombshell-announcement","tag-bonus-forfeitures","tag-breakaway-tour","tag-british-broadcasting-corporation","tag-bucket-load","tag-california","tag-cam-smith","tag-cameron-smith","tag-chief-executive","tag-club-houses","tag-courtney-walsh","tag-curious-case","tag-delicate-path","tag-dp-world","tag-eamon-lynch","tag-europe","tag-european-tour","tag-exit-ramp","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-giant-swathes","tag-golf","tag-golf-channel","tag-golf-landscape","tag-golf-reunion","tag-goverment-snares","tag-graeme-mcdowell","tag-j-michael-reaves","tag-japanese-tour","tag-john-patrick-daly","tag-justin-rose","tag-lifts-lid","tag-locker-room","tag-lucas-herbert","tag-marc-leishman","tag-massive-windfall","tag-move-back","tag-new-south-wales","tag-north-america","tag-northern-america","tag-northern-europe","tag-northern-ireland","tag-oceania","tag-olive-branch","tag-olive-branches","tag-pairing-headlines","tag-participants-wrestle","tag-patrick-reed","tag-paul-gow","tag-paul-mcginley","tag-pennsylvania","tag-prodigal-golfers","tag-prominent-golf-columnist","tag-revealing-answers","tag-rory-mcilroy","tag-san-diego","tag-saudi-arabia","tag-saudi-arabian-private-investment-fund","tag-scar-tissue","tag-scott-oneil","tag-scottie-scheffler","tag-seniors-tour","tag-smylie-kaufmann","tag-south-wales-open","tag-sports-illustrated","tag-sports-news","tag-tee-times-inc","tag-tension-heading","tag-term-sheet","tag-three-time-winner","tag-ticker-tape-parade","tag-tipping-point","tag-tour-boss","tag-truth-bombs","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-western-asia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1160\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}