US Open provide major LIV Golf update hours after 15 stars miss out

The US Open is reportedly considering a qualifying system for those competing on the LIV Golf setup, following the exclusion of several league members from the third major championship of the year.

A total of 17 LIV players participated in the final US Open qualifying on Monday, known as the ‘Longest Day in Golf’, held across 10 North American venues. Despite the significant representation from LIV, only two out of the 17 secured their spots. David Puig and Dean Burmester are now set to head to Pinehurst later this month.

Several prominent names from the breakaway league failed to make the cut during the 36-hole event. This includes former US Open champion Graeme McDowell, whose 10-year exemption from his 2010 victory expired after his last appearance in 2020.

In another blow, LIV’s top-performing star Joaquin Niemann missed the cut by a single shot in Florida. This means he will miss a major championship for the first time this year, having received invitations to both the Masters and PGA Championship.

LIV players have had to resort to major qualifying as the league continues to host events without Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. Given their lack of ranking recognition, there have been calls for the four majors to adjust their exemption categories to accommodate those playing on the Saudi-backed series.

However, no action has been taken so far. John Bodenhamer, the Chief Championship Officer of the USGA, hinted at a potential pathway for LIV Golf players to enter the US Open during an interview with Golf Channel on Monday.

He said: “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 champion.

We’ve watched what is happening in professional golf unfold and we’ve seen a lot of good players go over to LIV and 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 and 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.”

This month, 12 players from the breakaway league, including Burmester and Puig, will compete at Pinehurst No. 2 .Bryson DeChambeau, who won his national Open back in 2020, will also be in the field. Although he can compete in the US Open until 2030, the former PGA Tour star’s status in golf’s other three majors is uncertain for 2025 and beyond.

DeChambeau suggested a specialized exemption category for the breakaway league in all four major tournaments last year. “There’s been numerous ideas brought up,” he stated.

For all the latest news straight to your inbox, sign up for our FREE newsletters here.

“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. “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 champion.

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. “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 champion.

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.”

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here.