Hudson Swafford is facing an uncertain future after failing to secure his place on the LIV Golf circuit for 2025. Swafford, who competed in the inaugural event of the Saudi-backed league in London in June 2022 and remained a member throughout 2023 and 2024, has had a challenging time over the past couple of years due to injuries.
Unable to compete with golfing stars like Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau last year, he was given a wildcard spot to return in 2024 alongside Anthony Kim. However, Swafford failed to impress in the third season, finishing 55th in the individual standings without breaking into the top 30 in any of the 54-man events.
To regain his place for 2025, the 37-year-old had to rely on LIV Promotions – a qualifying event which awards the best finisher at the end of the week a spot on the breakaway league roster. However, Swafford fell short, and ended the week bottom of the leaderboard on six over par.
It meant the American’s hopes of competing on the LIV Golf circuit for a fourth year were dashed. As such, Swafford, who is a three-time winner on the PGA Tour, most recently clinching victory at the American Express in 2022 against top players like Jon Rahm and Brian Harman, is now in career limbo.
Despite being a past champion, Swafford no longer has playing rights on the PGA Tour. All players from the LIV setup looking to make a comeback are required to serve a one-year suspension from their last event on the breakaway league before competing once again.
However, Swafford doesn’t even have that option as he’s lost his PGA Tour card. With his career now at a crossroads, it looks likely the Florida native will be thrown lifelines in the form of an invite to compete on the Asian Tour. Success there, especially winning the International Series Order of Merit, could reopen doors to LIV Golf come 2026.
Last month, Swafford revealed that he made an attempt to abide by the rules and regain his PGA Tour playing rights, but talks with his former employers went south. “I tried to go back [to the PGA Tour] last year,” he told Golf Channel.
“I talked to [Jason Gore, the Tour’s senior vice president] and [Commissioner Jay Monahan] and thought I did everything pretty cordially, just told them how I felt. They could never give me an answer…
“Past champions are getting in a bunch of fall events, does my past champion status reinstate in September? I can’t seem to get any answers. It’s pretty frustrating.”
