Padraig Harrington has claimed LIV Golf should reimburse the PGA Tour financially if players opt to jump ship to the Saudi-backed breakway league.
The likes of Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Cameron Smith have all caused controversy by opting to play in the new competition.
LIV are expected to try and entice more big names in the future, too.
Harrington insists he doesn't mind the rivalry between the PGA Tour and LIV. However, the Irishman would like to see the former compensated should more A-listers continue to cross the divide.
Padraig Harrington has opened up on LIV Golf and feels the PGA Tour should be financially compensated
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“Pretty much a lot of my friends went to LIV, so I also have a good few guys out there who I would be friendly with, guys that are captain of the Ryder Cup, played on the Ryder Cup. So I can see both sides of it," he said, per Irish Golfer.
“You know, in the end of the day, I played the majority of my career when there was two strong tours and there was a bit of rivalry and a bit of competition, so I’m not — I wouldn’t be averse to that being in the future where there’s two tours and who doesn’t love a little bit of competition?
"Whatever football team or whatever team you follow, you follow one team and you’ve always got a little bit of an edge against the other team.
“I don’t mind the rivalry.
“I think the biggest thing going forward for the PGA TOUR, there has to be some way of capping — you know, can’t just steal all our players.
"I don’t — players will always make a choice individually what’s right for them, but I think the Tour has to — there’s very few businesses in this world where there isn’t some sort of a noncompete sort of clause.
"If somebody wants to leave, the Tour should get the money, not the player.
“I don’t know. That would be my thing.
"I don’t mind the competition. It doesn’t look like there will be any sort of golfing marriage in the near future, so why not have it a little bit like the old European Tour, PGA TOUR where there’s a little bit of competition.
"Certainly is good for the fans when there’s rivalries.”
Harrington would like to see golfers be able to play in both leagues.
However, he acknowledges that's something easier said than done.
“I played Mexican Open there on the PGA TOUR a couple of weeks ago and I’m sure they would have loved to have Abraham Ancer play," he stated.
"So I’m not against having a small amount of invites, and that cuts both ways.
“If a LIV event went to, you know, a certain market where they don’t have home players, I’m sure they would like to invite those players from that country.
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Padraig Harrington feels there's nothing wrong with a healthy rivalry between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour
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“Again, when the European Tour is in Spain this year, we would love to have Jon Rahm play the Spanish Open.
"I’m not against a small amount of transfer of players playing events and, you know, maybe a couple of invites going each direction. Maybe an outside team playing every week in LIV, why not.
“But again, not too sure how they’re going to come together as one tour, so why not have an agreeable two tours where there’s a bit of rivalry.”
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy has also discussed LIV Golf.
The Northern-Irishman has softened his stance on players jumping over to the Saudi-backed division, having initially been scathing.
Rory McIlroy has no interest in switching to LIV Golf with the Northern-Irishman happy on the PGA Tour
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Yet McIlroy insists he won't be following suit because he's happy on the PGA Tour and playing in the same competitions as many of his idols.
"It's not for me," McIlroy said.
"I'm too much of a traditionalist. I love winning golf tournaments and looking at the trophy and seeing that Sam Snead won this trophy or Ben Hogan or Gene Sarazen or Jack Nicklaus or Gary Player, Tiger Woods, Nick (Faldo), whoever it is. The people that came before me.
"That, to me, is a big deal in our game."
