James Piot First Ex-LIV Player With Sponsor Exemption

James Piot, a 26-year-old Michigan native and former U.S. Amateur champion, will become the first ex-LIV Golf player to receive a sponsor's exemption for a regular PGA Tour event when he competes in the 2025 Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. Piot joined LIV Golf in 2022 with a $6 million guaranteed deal but struggled and was relegated after two seasons. He became eligible for PGA Tour events again after serving a one-year ban for participating in unauthorized tournaments. While Laurie Canter was the first former LIV golfer to return to the PGA Tour via qualification, Piot is the first to do so through a special invitation since the ban on LIV participants. His participation follows multiple last-minute withdrawals from the event, and the field includes stars like Keegan Bradley and Collin Morikawa. Piot's return highlights the evolving relationship between the PGA Tour and former LIV Golf players.