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2 more LIV players head for exit, eye DP World Tour futures

Thomas Pieters and Charles Howell III have become the latest high-profile defections from LIV Golf as the league’s future remains uncertain. Pieters, a six-time DP World Tour winner including the 2022 Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, and Howell III, a three-time PGA Tour victor from 2002–2018, have both announced they will not participate in LIV’s 2027 season.

Both players are now targeting the DP World Tour, though their paths differ significantly: Pieters, a former European Ryder Cup captain, has deep ties to the circuit, while Howell III—ranked 510th in the Official World Golf Ranking—faces a more challenging path to securing DP World Tour starts without prior eligibility.

The departures follow the DP World Tour’s recent rule change, which effectively forced LIV players to choose between the two circuits for 2027. Howell III’s limited DP World Tour history—his last appearances predating 2020—raises questions about how he might qualify, while Pieters’ established presence on the European stage provides a stronger foundation.

The move underscores the growing divide as LIV navigates financial instability and the shifting priorities of its players.

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