Six key LIV Golf stars absent from U.S. Open as Jon Rahm forced to pull out

Jon Rahm is one of a number of players from the LIV Golf setup absent from the U.S. Open at Pinehurst this week, as the breakaway league’s lack of representation at the major championships goes on.

The majority of the absentees have missed out on a place in North Carolina due to their Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), as LIV continue to host their 54-hole events without OWGR points on offer. In total, just 13 of the the Saudi-backed series’ membership will compete at Pinehurst, with nine of those earning various exemptions.

Elsewhere an additional there booked their spots on the major stage after prevailing through final qualifying. Spanish starlet Eugenio Chacarra will play in his first major championship, after impressing over 36 holes at Dallas Athletic Club last month.

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He was later joined by fellow Spaniard David Puig and South African Dean Burmester in June, who prevailed after competing in ‘Golf’s Longest Day’ on June 3. Many others however were not so lucky, and here is a look at the key LIV names missing from Pinehurst.

Jon Rahm

As mentioned, Rahm is the biggest name from the Saudi-backed circuit who will play no part in the 2024 U.S. Open. As a past champion – winning the title back in 2021 – Rahm was exempt to compete in this week’s event, but has been forced to withdraw just days before due to injury.

The issue started at LIV Houston last week, where the two-time major winner appeared visibly in pain whilst competing in the opening round. One day later, the Spaniard returned for round two but after six holes, was forced to call time on his tournament due to a foot problem.

Rahm made the trip to Pinehurst No. 2 earlier this week in the hopes of competing in North Carolina, but he has since taken the decision that he is not fit to do so.

Joaquin Niemann

LIV Golf’s most in-form star Joaquin Niemann will not compete at Pinehurst this week. Niemann has burst into life in recent months, impressing both on the LIV setup, winning twice so far this campaign, whilst also performing well on the DP World Tour in the hunt for some much-needed world ranking points.

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Niemann ventured elsewhere in a bid to play his way into the majors, and despite falling short, earned invites into the Masters and PGA Championship thanks to his efforts. It was not to be for major No. 3 though, after the Chilean missed out by a single shot at final qualifying in Florida.

Graeme McDowell

Another man who tried and failed to play his way into the U.S. Open via qualifying was Graeme McDowell. Northern Irishman, McDowell is a past champion of the major event, having prevailed at Pebble Beach by a single shot back in 2010.

This earned the former champion a 10-year exemption at the U.S. Open, which ran out following his last appearance four years ago. Since then McDowell has failed to qualify for the event, and will now turn his attention to Open Championship qualifying at the beginning of July.

Patrick Reed

A third LIV major champion who has not made the trip to North Carolina is Patrick Reed. On the back of his win at the 2018 Masters, Reed earned himself a five-year exemption to compete in the three other major events, which ran its course last campaign.

The former green jacket winner was therefore ineligible to compete at this year’s PGA Championship and U.S. Open, and despite earning a special invite to compete in the former last month, Reed was not given the same treatment for this week’s tournament.

Talor Gooch

Talor Gooch played arguably the best golf of his career during 2023 after winning three times on the breakaway circuit on the way to becoming LIV’s season-long individual champion. Amid the league’s lack of world-ranking recognition though, Gooch’s form did no favours for his major chances.

Like many others on the Saudi-backed series, Gooch’s fall down the world rankings over the past year has seen him become ineligible to compete in the four majors this season. He too received an exemption to compete at the PGA Championship, but the same can not be said for the U.S. Open.