Scottie Scheffler sees an obvious culprit in the division in professional golf. Speaking ahead of The Players Championship — where he'll vie to defend his title — the World No. 1 identified defectors to the LIV Golf League when asked how PGA Tour loyalists feel about increased fan disillusionment.

“When you're talking about a fan perspective, you're talking about millions of people, and so there's always a lot of perspectives in that group, it just depends on who has the loudest voice,” Scheffler said at his pre-tournament press conference at TPC Sawgrass.

“We're trying to do our best to create the best product for the fans, but we can't control whether or not guys want to leave. If guys want to go take the money and leave, that's their decision. I'm not gonna sit here and tell guys not to take hundreds of millions of dollars. If that's what they think is best for their life, then go do it. I'm not gonna sit here and force guys to stay on our tour.

Scheffler reaffirmed his commitment to the PGA Tour.

“But at the end of the day, this is where I want to be. And we're continuing to grow what we're doing. And what they're doing is not really a concern to me. And if the fans are upset, then look at the guys that left. We had a tour, we were all together, and the people that left — they're no longer here. At the end of the day, that's where the splintering comes from.

Scheffler won the Arnold Palmer Invitational by five strokes on Sunday — the same margin by which he won the 2023 Players. It was the first time in nine events this season that a winner was shorter than a 40-1 longshot. Based on recent form, one could easily argue that with Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann, and Brooks Koepka — not to mention Bryson DeChambeau and Cameron Smith — LIV has three of the five best players in the world.

“We're doing our best to create the best product for the fans, and that's really where we're at,” added Scheffler.

Earlier on Tuesday at TPC Sawgrass, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told the media that negotiations with LIV's backer, the Public Investment Fund, regarding a potential global unification of golf were “accelerating” but would still “take time.”

The Players Championship will celebrate its 50th anniversary this week.