US Open provide key LIV Golf qualifying update just hours after 15 rebels miss out
A number of LIV Golf stars missed out on a spot at the U.S. Open during final qualifying on Monday, but the breakaway league could be soon given their own path into the major event
The US Open could well be set to introduce a qualifying system for those competing on the LIV Golf circuit, after a number of the league’s members missed out on a spot in the third major championship of the year.
In total, 17 LIV players entered final U.S. Open qualifying on Monday with ‘Golf’s Longest Day’ taking place across 10 venues in North America. Despite a large turnout from the breakaway league, only two of the 17 managed to bank their spots, with David Puig and Dean Burmester booking their trips to Pinehurst later this month.
A whole host of big names from the breakaway league missed out over the 36-hole event, including a former US Open champion in Graeme McDowell, whose 10-year exemption from his win in 2010 ran out following his last appearance in 2020.
Elsewhere, LIV’s most in-form star Joaquin Niemann missed out by just one shot in Florida, ensuring he will be absent from a major field for the first time this year after receiving invites to the Masters and PGA Championship. Players from the LIV setup have been forced to turn to qualifying with the league continue to host its events without Official World Golf Ranking points.
Amid their lack of racking recognition there have been calls on the four majors to make changes to their exemption categories in order to cater for those playing on the Saudi-backed series, but no action has been taken. John Bodenhamer – Chief Championship Officer of the USGA – however had a positive update on Monday.
As a result Bodenhamer admitted a possible route into the U.S. Open from the LIV setup was being considered. He told Golf Channel: “From the beginning, we’ve been open, you earn your way in you get to play whether it’s through qualifying or exemption as the past change
“You know we’ve watched what is happening in professional golf unfold and we’ve seen a lot of good players go over to LIV & so we’re thinking a lot about it, we’ve talked a lot about it. I think it’s reasonable to expect that at some point yes, we would create a pathway or someway that we would get those great players.
“Give them an opportunity to be unified again, we get a lot of them & there will be a lot that will play this week through exemption, a number of past champions and qualifiers so yeah, I think we’re looking very seriously at that.” In total 12 players from the breakaway league – including Burmester and Puig – will compete at Pinehurst No. 2 this month.
One man who will be in the field is Bryson DeChambeau, who is returning as a past champion having won his national Open back in 2020. While he is able to compete in the U.S. Open until 2030, the former PGA Tour star’s status in golf’s other three majors is hanging by a thread for 2025 and beyond.
Speaking last year, DeChambeau himself advocated for an exemption category for the breakaway league across all four flagship events. “There’s been numerous ideas brought up,” he said. “One that we’re all looking at right now, at least from my perspective and what I’ve heard so far is just creating an exemption category for LIV players based on how they play during the course of the year.
“That would be the most fair and opportune thing for LIV golfers considering the fields that we have, the major champions we have, and the elite level of play that we have each and every week. If they’re able to do that, I think everything is good. The OWGR points, we’ve gone so far down the list now that it’s really difficult to make us even relevant. That was part of their play, which is fine. It is what it is. But I think there’s another route to the majors.”
