Players on the LIV Golf Tour can still play in all major tournaments – and qualify for the Ryder Cup – now that the PGA Championship and British Open have announced only minor changes to the existing criteria for take part in it.
The main route to golf’s biggest events remains via the PGA Tour – and that might get tougher for most LIV Golf players.
When it comes to the Ryder Cup, LIV players such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Patrick Reed would likely need to win at least one major tournament to have a chance of earning one of six automatic spots on the USA Team 28. to September 30, in Italy.
The qualifying system is 1 point earned for every $1,000 earned in PGA events this year. We concede 1.5 points in major tournaments and double points in case of victory in such an event.
Johnson is 14e in the Ryder Cup standings. He is three places behind Keith Mitchell, 25e up to a fifth position at the Riviera last week.
This is an example of the possibilities of advancement during tournaments allocating 20 million in purses.
The PGA Championship became the latest major organization to speak out on Wednesday, adding a three-player category to the International Federation’s new rankings for tours in Japan, Asia, South Africa and Australia.
The majority of the field at the PGA Championship comes from the PGA Tour, either by wins or roster.
Officials also rely on special invites, a loose term presumably based on world rankings.
The PGA Championship is renowned for having the strongest field of players of the four major tournaments.
LIV has filed a request with the Official World Golf Rankings Committee and has yet to receive notice of a response time.
Ranking points would be significantly lower than on the PGA Tour, with LIV having just 48 players entered per tournament – and just six golfers in the top 50.
Of the 20 LIV Golf players currently in the top 100eight of them are at 75e rank or worse.
In charge of championships at the PGA of America, Kerry Haigh said the PGA of America will evaluate LIV Golf on the same level as other tours.
The Royal & Ancient and the US Golf Association said they would honor all British Open and US Open eligible players.
Masters officials said in December they were sticking to the same criteria no matter what tour a golfer was affiliated with.
The British Open has added a category for an amateur who ranks highest in three such events in Europe.