Which LIV Golfers will play at the 2024 Masters, other major championships if an exemption is allowed?
The participation of LIV Golf players in major championships has been a significant topic of discussion ever since the Original World Golf Ranking (OWGR) dismissed their application for ranking points.
LIV Golf has requested exemptions in major championships for players who finish in the top 12 of the season standings. Just a few days ago, LIV's governor, Yasir Al Rumayyan, met with the R&A to discuss these exemptions for the 2024 Open Championship. While Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley has rejected the idea, other major championships have not yet granted LIV's request.
However, if the 12 exemptions are granted to LIV Golf players by the end of the year, here is the list of players who will be eligible to compete in all four major championships in 2024:
- 1: Talor Gooch
- 2: Cameron Smith
- 3: Brooks Koepka
- 4: Bryson DeChambeau
- 5: Dustin Johnson
- 6: Patrick Reed
- 7: Harold Varner III
- 8: Mito Pereira
- 9: Branden Grace
- 10: Charles Howell III
- 11: Sebastian Munoz
- 12: Peter Uihlein
Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka are the four players who are already eligible to play in all four majors next year, either by OWGR or other exemptions.
Which LIV golf players can compete at the 2024 major championships as of now?
If the major championships do not grant LIV's request for 12 exemptions, there are currently 12 players who will be eligible to compete in next year's majors. It's worth noting that these 12 players do not qualify for all four majors.
Here's an overview of the exempted players in the respective major championships thus far:
The Masters
Only nine players from LIV Golf are eligible to compete in the Masters Tournament next year, a significant decrease from this year's 18.
Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, and Bubba Watson are all past champions of the Masters Tournament. Additionally, Brooks Koepka (PGA Championship), Bryson DeChambeau (US Open), and Cameron Smith (The Open Championship) will be joining the field at the Augusta National as recent major champions.
Three players associated with LIV Golf finished in the top five of this year's Masters. Mickelson, who had finished as the joint runner-up with Brooks Koepka, shot an impressive 65 in the final round. Patrick Reed also had a strong showing and finished tied for fourth at 7-under.
PGA Championship
So far, only six players from the PIF-funded leagues have qualified to compete in the 2024 PGA Championship. DeChambeau, Johnson, and Smith have received the exemption for major championships, and they will be joining past champions Martin Kaymer, Koepka, and Phil Mickelson.
US Open
Past winners, DeChambeau, Kaymer, Koepka, and Johnson, will be joined by Mickelson and Smith at Pinehurst next year. That's a total of six players, compared to the 15 who participated at the LACC this year.
152nd Open
While 16 players featured in the 151st Open Championship, only seven LIV players will compete next year. Past winners, including Mickelson, Smith, Louis Oosthuizen, and Henrik Stenson, will tee off at the Royal Troon alongside DeChambeau, Johnson, and Koepka.