Rickie Fowler: There has to be punishments for returning LIV Golf players

Rickie Fowler says he's glad the decision isn't his whether LIV Golf players should be able to return to the PGA Tour without punishment. 

Fowler was one of the high-profile players who has been targeted by the Saudi Arabia-backed tour over the last two years. 

The popular PGA Tour pro revealed in previous interviews it was difficult to turn down the money. 

But, he said, he has always remained steadfast in his belief the best place for men's professional golfers is the established North American circuit. 

He wants it to continue to be that way and now, the ball has been firmly thrown back in LIV's court after the announcement of the $3bn SSG deal. 

SSG, a group of US-based investors, have committed the gargantuan sum of money into the new entity: PGA Tour Enterprises. 

The for-profit company will guarantee PGA Tour stars $1.5bn in immediate and future equity. 

Players such as Fowler will receive equity in the new company based on playing achievements, tour status and future participation. 

Doubts have been cast as to whether Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will be involved as minority investors in the future. 

Should that happen it would surely draw a line under golf's schism that has dogged the men's professional game since June 2022. 

If that were to happen, it begs the question, should the LIV players be allowed to return to PGA Tour events without punishment?

The topic has divided opinion, to say the least. 

Rory McIlroy was once a staunch advocate for financial penalties. 

But now the Northern Irishman admits the breakaway tour players should be able to return because a diminished PGA Tour and LIV league is not in anyone's interest. 

"I think I'm done with trying to change people's minds and trying to get them to see things a certain way or try to see things through my lens because that's ultimately not the way the world works," McIlroy told before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, conceding he never should have joined the Tour's policy board. 

McIlroy said it's hard to punish the LIV players and now: "It would be much better being together and moving forward for the good of the game."

Policy board member Patrick Cantlay admitted considering punishments for LIV players was not a priority in the negotiations with SSG. 

"I know players feel all over the board on that issue," Cantlay said. A robust conversation will be held in due course, he added.

So how does Fowler see it? 

"Well, the good thing is the decision's not up to me," he said. 

He continued: "[I'm] probably not in the same spot that Rory -- maybe we started in a similar area, but I think there's been a little rollercoaster ride on his part.

"I feel like I've kind of maintained middle ground as far as learning about LIV when it was first coming about, and my belief in the Tour and that was always my dream to play the Tour.

"[I] always thought it was the best place to play and wanted to see it continue to be that.

"We're in a different spot a few years down the road and I feel like when I talked about Cantlay, Jordan, Tiger, those guys, they put a lot of time and effort to put us in a better spot and make sure that the Tour continues to be the best place to play."

Fowler added: "As far as decisions to go elsewhere and just [be] welcome[d] back, I don't think it's a direct road.

"I mean, they made decisions and there's -- there has to be something for it.

"Whether how small or big, that's not up to me.

"It will be interesting to kind of see how -- I feel like I've been saying it will be interesting to see how the next few months or year or two years go and we're still in that spot, but a little different now than we were a couple years ago."

Read more:

• Jordan Spieth provides blunt response to reporter over future PGA Tour-LIV deal
• Leaked: LIV chairman's email to breakaway tour pros after $3bn PGA Tour-SSG deal
• LIV Golf's Greg Norman issues defiant memo to players amid huge PGA Tour news
• Why this former PGA Tour pro will compete in the LIV Golf League without a team