PGA Champ Justin Thomas Clears Air on LIV Golf Stance, Backs PGA Tour

Former Alabama national champion golfer Justin Thomas, who won his second career major at the PGA Championship in May, is not among the several prominent pros departing the PGA Tour for Saudi-backed LIV Golf. The new league has been a source of controversy when it comes to players taking money from the Saudi Arabian government, which has provided the financial resources for the events.

Masters champions Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, and Sergio Garcia are some of the bigger names playing in LIV Golf's inaugural event, which concluded Saturday.

The PGA Tour announced Thursday that its members who are playing as part of LIV Golf have been suspended. Thomas called it "a bummer that those guys won't be a part of [the PGA Tour]." Several such players resigned from the Tour in advance of the suspensions.

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"Selfishly, I think and I know that the PGA Tour is the best place to play in the world... I wish [players leaving for LIV] wouldn't be taking away from the great storylines that are going on a Tour that's been around for a very long time and is in one of the best places it's ever been," he said. Referencing Johnson, who also has two career major victories, Thomas added that he doesn't think his former counterpart is "a bad dude." Johnson was one of the players to resign his PGA Tour membership.

"I'm disappointed and I wish DJ and others wouldn't have done it, but that's their decision."

He also expressed support for the aforementioned suspensions, saying players risked their PGA status with the move, "whether they thought it was a risk or not."

"I have great belief and great confidence in the PGA Tour and where we're going and continuing to grow to, and those guys just aren't going to be a part of it."