Pieters opts out of LIV 2.0, plans DP World Tour return

Thomas Pieters has decided not to join LIV Golf’s planned 2.0 season and says he intends to play on the DP World Tour in 2027, while Charles Howell III is also reported to be leaving the league. Neither player currently holds DP World Tour status, so their plans do not guarantee tournament access next season. Pieters, a 34-year-old Belgian and six-time DP World Tour winner, confirmed his decision to Flushing It Golf. He joined LIV in 2023 and most recently played for the 4Aces. He has appeared in one DP World Tour event this year, the Open de France, according to one report. Howell’s reported departure was attributed to a report by Sports Business Journal. His LIV contract expired this season, and he is not interested in committing to the league’s 2.0 version, according to that report. The 47-year-old American joined LIV in 2022 and played alongside Bryson DeChambeau on Crushers GC for four seasons. His LIV individual victory came at the league’s Mayakoba event in 2023. For both players, a return to the DP World Tour would require qualifying or invitations, according to the reporting. Their stated intentions therefore differ from confirmed membership or guaranteed places in...