Justin Thomas has said he is "definitely not in agreement" with Rory McIlroy regarding LIV Golf League players being able to return to the PGA Tour without any level of punishment.
Up until the past few months, McIlroy had previously been a staunch critic of those who had departed the US-based tour for the PIF-funded circuit but has recently made a fairly remarkable u-turn on the subject.
Speaking to Sky Sports’ James Weir in December, McIlroy said he hoped the two parties could “let bygones be bygones” before going on to admit in January that he had been “too judgmental” of LIV defectors at the start of the League's existence.
And ahead of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA Tour last week, the 34-year-old said that any player who is eligible to return should be free to without the fear of any sort of punishment.
McIlroy said: “I mean, I think it's hard to punish people. I don't think there should be a punishment for - obviously I've changed my tune on that because I see where golf is and I see that having a diminished PGA Tour and having a diminished LIV Tour or anything else is bad for both parties.
“It would be much better being together and moving forward together for the good of the game. That's my opinion of it. So to me, the faster that we can all get back together and start to play and start to have the strongest fields possible I think is great for golf.”
Justin Thomas backs up his boy Rickie Fowler in saying LIV guys shouldn't be able to return without some sort of penalty. "I would have a problem with it, and I think a lot of guys would have a problem with it." pic.twitter.com/naviRPmbBHFebruary 6, 2024
However, Thomas - who has enjoyed an incredible return to form over the course of his past five starts either side of Christmas - remained on the fence when discussing a merger of sorts between the three main tours but was adamant any LIV player looking to come back should not be able to do without reprimand.
Asked whether the PGA Tour can form its own path after the recent $3 billion investment or the game still needs to work towards some sort of cohesive relationship, the 30-year-old - whose worst result since August's Wyndham Championship is T12 - said: "I'm not necessarily super adamant one way or the other. I want the best product and the best players.
"I would say that there's a handful of players on LIV that would make the [PGA Tour] a better place, but I'm definitely not in the agreement that they should just be able to come back that easily.
"I think there's a lot of us that made sacrifices and were very -- whether it's true to our word or what we believe in or just didn't make that decision, and I totally understand that things are changing and things are getting better, but it just would -- I would have a hard time with it, and I think a lot of guys would have a hard time with it, and I'm sure we don't need to convince you why we would have a hard time with it.
"I think there's a scenario somewhere, whatever it is, down the road of some kind of version of some guys being back, but when and what that is, I have no idea."
Thomas is playing in this week's WM Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour and will tee off alongside Adam Scott and Cameron Young at 14:44 ET (7:44pm GMT) on Thursday at TPC Scottsdale.
