LIV Golf star makes honest admission over Saudi switch after quitting PGA Tour

LIV Golf star Lucas Herbert has praised the benefits of participating in the breakaway league, having left the PGA Tour to join the Saudi-funded circuit earlier this year.

Herbert, alongside Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk, gave up their PGA Tour memberships to become part of the LIV setup for the 2024 season. Eight months and 14 events later, Herbert has shared his experiences, clearly relishing his time with his new tour.

The Australian nation concluded his season on a last month, having helped Ripper GC secure the Team Championship title alongside his fellow countrymen Cam Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones in Dallas.

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Having left the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, the Ripper star's schedule is a less hectic one, as Herbert now enjoys an extended break before the LIV league resumes in 2025, a change he is more than happy with. "I played so much more in 2023, but it's just a perfect schedule now," he revealed to News.com.au.

"You get your time to get away from the game and get your development blocks to be able to get better, not just from a perspective of hitting balls for three or four days and then go to an event, you can actually really work on your game and elevate your skill set rather than just tune it up."

"I've spent 10 months now taking advantage of that opportunity, it's been awesome." The ability to break up his campaign and avoid competing week-by-week appears significant benefit for Herbert, and he believes this has only enhanced his game - something he couldn't achieve while on the PGA Tour.

"I am comfortably, comfortably better this year," he went on "I mean, Cam Smith gave me an hour of his time on the chipping ground at the Greenbrier. Can't imagine that ever happening to any other player when we're playing individual events on the PGA Tour. So just the knowledge I've been able to zap from my teammates at various stages throughout the year has been awesome, and my game has massively benefited from that."

While the move to the LIV setup of course came with financial benefit, Herbert and co are not only benefiting from mega-money signing fees and lucrative tournament purses. The Aussie native revealed the league also cover travel and accommodation cost for players, which has helped players create a strong bond. "We obviously get a lot of things covered, both travel and accommodation, and not on our dollar, which is nice," he recounted.

"I've loved the fact that it feels like a real family out there with LIV obviously. If you think of PGA Tour events, 156 players, 156 different caddies, 156 different families, whether it be girlfriends, parents, kids, everything, and then that changes week to week. Players go home, others come out, and you just don't get the ability to get to know guys as well as you know out here on LIV, it's like it's the same 54 guys every week."