​Dennis Schneidler-Imagn ImagesLucas Herbert has admitted that money is not the reason he is walking away from LIV Golf, even though he earned over $25 million during his three seasons there. The Australian golfer says the brutal travel demands and a shrinking schedule are what pushed him toward the DP World Tour. He told a podcast that he wants to see his game improve and get better chances to play in majors.Herbert finished fourth on the LIV season-long standings in 2026 after winning two events. Despite the big paycheck, he is joining the ranks of players like Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia who are returning to the traditional tours. The move comes as LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September and secured new funding that depends on keeping a “critical mass” of players.The Travel Toll That Money Cannot FixMany fans assume players leave LIV because the prize money is lower or the prestige is gone. Herbert says the schedule is the real problem. He explained that the distance between venues has become too much for anyone to handle.The Australian pointed out that the old schedule with 14 events was easier when many were in America. Now, players fly from the US to Korea, then to Spain, and back to the US, all while trying to get ready for the US Open the following week. “That’s a really tough schedule,” Herbert noted, according to Yahoo Sports. He added that if the DP World Tour had a route like that, no one would play it because it is just too big of a travel grind. The constant jet lag from playing in such huge gaps between venues became the breaking point for many.In 2024, Herbert became a member of Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC upon joining LIV Golf. But the new version of the league, LIV Golf 2.0, plans to have only 10 tournaments. Herbert sees a problem with that number. “Ten events is not enough to build a season around,” he said, according to Yahoo Sports. He worries that adding more events would just lower the quality of the fields and venues.Understanding The Tension On TourHerbert knows that some DP World Tour members are unhappy about LIV players returning. Many of those players have spent years grinding to keep their spots on the tour. Herbert admits he understands the frustration from both sides. “You know, I’m kind of staying out of those conversations because there are so many moving parts and there are frustrations from both sides too, which I actually, I really understand,” Herbert admitted.He sees the issue of players losing spots or status as a real concern for those who stayed. “Frustration with guys who are potentially losing spots in tournaments or losing status,” he said. Herbert thinks the next year will be strange and interesting until everything sorts itself out. “So, it’s gonna be a really strange and interesting next 12 months until it all kind of sorts itself out again and guys kind of find their feet of where they’re going to play their golf,” he told the Tee It Up Podcast.While Her