The United States Golf Association (USGA) are looking into ways to allow more LIV Golfers to qualify for future U.S. Open tournaments.
This week at Pinehurst just a dozen players from the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit are set to tee it up in the 124th edition of America’s national open.
Four of these players secured their spot in the 156-man field via Final Qualifying, while the other eight gained a space through a different exemption.
Due to the fact LIV Golf doesn’t currently offer Official World Golf Rankings points, it’s going to be increasingly difficult for these players to feature in future U.S. Open Championships.
This still remains a big fracture at the elite level in the golf, with some big names missing out on one of golf’s grandest events. However, the governing bodies are looking at alternative solutions.
“We’re going to talk about it this off‑season,” the USGA chief executive, Mike Whan, said on Wednesday.
“Whether or not there needs to be a path to somebody or somebodies that are performing really well on LIV that can get a chance to play in that way.
“I think we are serious about that. Exactly what that looks like and how that’ll curtail, I’m not just being coy. We haven’t done that yet.”
Notable players such as Patrick Reed, Thomas Pieters, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, Joaquin Niemann, Ian Poulter and many others have all failed to qualify this week.
This week’s U.S. Open gets underway on June 13, with defending champion Wyndham Clark teeing off at 9.25pm GST (local UAE time). You can view the full list of tee times and follow the leaderboard here.
LIV Golfers playing this week
- Dean Burmester
- Eugenio López-Chacarra
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Sergio García
- Tyrrell Hatton
- Dustin Johnson
- Martin Kaymer
- Brooks Koepka
- Adrian Meronk
- Phil Mickelson
- David Puig
- Cameron Smith
