LIV Golf star confirms PGA Tour decision after Saudis pull out of league

One LIV Golf ace has ruled out a return to the PGA Tour despite mounting uncertainty surrounding the breakaway league's future. Former Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters has absolutely no desire to rejoin the American golf circuit, declaring: "I never liked that life."

Pieters is among a host of the sport's biggest names, including Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, who defected to LIV Golf and have recently found themselves fielding questions about whether the league has any long-term future. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has confirmed it intends to withdraw its financial backing from the sport at the conclusion of the current season.

Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have already departed LIV Golf to head back to the PGA, and now their former colleagues face a crucial decision regarding their futures as the sport's great disruptor searches desperately for fresh investment. Last month, LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil vowed that the organisation would work 'like crazy' to survive beyond the current season.

"The reality is that you're funded through the season, and then you work like crazy as a business to create a business and a business plan to keep us going," he said. "But that's not different from any other private equity-funded business in the history of mankind."

Pieters, 34, remains firmly focused on the current LIV season and is keeping an open mind about what may unfold with the league next year. The Belgian would sooner compete on the European Tour than make any return to the PGA, however.

"I'm definitely never going back to the PGA Tour," Pieters said. "I've never liked that life. And that's not me having a go at the PGA Tour, it's not for me.

"I tried it and I just wasn't happy there. If it (LIV) goes away, I'll probably try and play some on the European Tour or I don't know. I really don't know.

"I'm not fussed about it at this point because I feel like I still have a duty to focus on these next six, seven tournaments on LIV and then we'll see. They're obviously trying to get it together next year. We'll see."

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Pieters disclosed that Scott has been upfront about the league's future strategy. He did, though, acknowledge that the financial rewards on offer could determine whether he moves on.

"We got paid," he added. "We are getting paid. It was a week late. Some got it early, some got it a week late, but I'm not sure these guys check their bank accounts every two seconds..

"I think whatever comes out officially from LIV is what we're getting half a day before it goes out. Scott is telling us that he's going to a broader market and trying to fund this for next year. I guess it's a massive challenge. But we just have to wait and see.

"We are just guessing right now. But if we're playing for $5million next year or I could play on the DP World Tour for $3m but be close to home that's something I'd have to look at it when it comes.

"Possibly there's guys going. But I think that's up to Scott and his team to get this thing together and we'll just have to find out."