LIV Golf demoted him. Now he’s heading back to the PGA Tour
In one of the year’s most intriguing shifts within the world of professional golf, a former LIV Golf player who found himself ousted by the upstart league is heading back to the PGA Tour. The move underscores the rapidly changing dynamics between the two organizations, whose uneasy relationship has continued to upset the traditional order of men’s professional golf.
Andy Ogletree, a 26-year-old American, looked to have found his place with LIV Golf after joining the circuit in 2022. But as LIV cemented its spot as a top-tier competitor, Ogletree became a casualty of the league’s limited roster spots and was demoted. Rather than falling into golfing obscurity, Ogletree’s fate turned unexpectedly last week when the PGA Tour announced updates to its eligibility rules, effectively opening the door for former LIV players whose contracts weren’t renewed.
Ogletree, who famously won the low amateur honors at the 2020 Masters, confirmed he’ll take advantage of the revised policies. “It’s always been a dream to compete on the PGA Tour,” Ogletree said this week. “I’m excited for this new chapter and grateful for the opportunity.”
The shift comes amid ongoing rumors about a future ceasefire or partnership between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, both of which have spent the last two years vying for players and prestige. By readmitting someone like Ogletree—who had a public exit from LIV—the Tour signals that it is willing to reunite and offer a path back for those who find themselves adrift.
For Ogletree, the chance to play the Tour again slots him into a full-time schedule beginning with events this summer. The question now becomes whether others in limbo between the two leagues will also seek a return, and what future competitions between the heavyweights of golf will look like.
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