Can LIV golfers play in the Ryder Cup after PGA Tour-LIV merger?
The PGA Tour allied with LIV Golf after their brutal battle over the last one year. However, some of the LIV golfers are still not allowed to compete in the Ryder Cup despite the merger.
The European Tour players who resigned from the DP World Tour to stay on at LIV Golf, will not be able to compete in the Ryder Cup in September as they won't be reinstated on the Tour this season.
DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelly released a statement saying that the players who resigned will have to rejoin the tour. However, this is not likely to happen this year.
He said:
"There have been several suggestions that with the joint commitment to end further litigation between the parties, this also means our sanctions against players who broke our Regulations will be waived. That is not the case. The suspensions and fines previously imposed remain effective.
"They would have to ask for reinstatement, and there would have to be proof of an exceptional circumstance to allow it. It would be difficult and highly unlike that that would happen."
However, the LIV golfers from the PGA Tour who meet the qualification criteria will compete in the 2023 Ryder Cup. Brooks Koepka qualified for the United States Team after winning the PGA Championship.
2023 Ryder Cup teams
The Ryder Cup will be held in September in Rome, Italy. The teams from the United States and Europe will compete for the championship, captained by Zach Johnson and Luke Donald, respectively.
Scottie Scheffler has been named in the US Ryder Cup team, joining Brooks Koepka, Max Homa, Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth, and Patrick Cantlay.
The European squad includes 2023 Masters champion Jon Rahm, current World No. 3 Rory McIlroy, Victor Perez, Matt Fitzpatrick, and Tyrrell Hatton.
In contrast, Ryder Cup veterans Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter have resigned from the DP World Tour, making them ineligible for the Ryder Cup.
In March, the DP World Tour won a battle against LIV Golf, and the court allowed them to penalize the Saudi-backed series' participants. Poulter, Westwood, and Garcia resigned from the Tour to avoid sanctions and will miss the cup this year.
Golfers must be on the European points list or the World Point List in order to play for the European Team. The World and European point lists are as follows:
European Points List
- 1 Jon Rahm: 2910.53
- 2. Rory McIlroy: 2354.20
- 3. Victor Perez: 1427.58
- 4. Adrian Meronk: 1422.47
- 5. Yannik Paul: 1406.89
- 6. Adrian Otaegui: 1346.80
- 7. Jorge Campillo: 1155.23
- 8. Shane Lowry: 1149.56
- 9. Pablo Larrazabal: 1109.75
- 10. Rasmus Hojgaard: 1101.86
World Points List
- 1 Jon Rahm: 337.57
- 2. Viktor Hovland: 242.39
- 3. Rory McIlroy: 206.39
- 4. Tyrrell Hatton: 162.53
- 5. Matt Fitzpatrick: 137.53
- 6. Tommy Fleetwood: 92.35
- 7. Shane Lowry: 86.72
- 8. Justin Rose: 82.93
- 9. Sepp Straka: 67.14
- 10. Seamus Power: 66.00