The PGA of America determines eligibility for the LIV Golfers’ Ryder Cup, PGA

LIV golfers will continue to play in the PGA Championship and Ryder Cup, but they are still running out of ways to enter.

The PGA of America, the governing body of America’s Ryder Cup, announced in a statement Thursday that LIV Golfers will remain eligible for the two events.

But the statement stopped short of announcing new ways for the league’s players to succeed in both games.

“To ensure that the PGA Championship will continue to bring the strongest field in golf and that the US Ryder Cup team will continue to receive the best American players, the board of the PGA of America has decided that the players of LIV Golf will be eligible for both,” the statement read. “Moving forward, All LIV Golf players are eligible to compete in the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup by points or is added to the American team as a captain is eligible to compete.”

The statement continues, noting that this decision does not depart from past practices in the two years the organization has held events since the launch of LIV in 2022.

“This is consistent with LIV Golf players competing in the PGA Championship for the past two years,” it continued. “Brooks Koepka was a member of the US Ryder Cup team last year.”

This announcement follows reports from both UK Telegraph again Sports Illustrated that the PGA of America was hesitant to allow Koepka and other members of LIV Golf to retain their PGA of America membership.

Although the PGA Tour and the PGA of America are separate organizations, the PGA Tour suspension of all players who joined LIV Golf means they are no longer active members of the PGA. Koepka, who was named captain by captain Zach Johnson at last year’s Games in Rome after winning the 2023 PGA, was allowed to play because of a grace period for LIV Golfers’ PGA membership that expires at the end of this year. . The same applies to golfers competing in the PGA Championship.

Bryson DeChambeau finished second last year before winning the US Open in June and is currently third in the US Ryder Cup team standings.

Now the PGA confirms that DeChambeau, Koepka and other American LIV stars such as Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed are eligible to make the American team in points or be selected for next year’s games at Bethpage Black by captain Keegan Bradley.

But those players will still be barred from qualifying for both events as players primarily gain entry to the PGA through the Official World Golf Ranking, LIV events that are not scored. Likewise, LIV events also do not provide qualifying points for the US Ryder Cup team, which are based on earnings from majors and PGA Tour events.

The announcement, however, does not affect the participation of European LIV stars in the Ryder Cup as the European part of the event belongs to the DP World Tour. In order to qualify for the European team, LIV Golfers must be members of the DP World Tour, which means they pay fines and use the suspension they were given when they joined LIV.

Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton, the top two players in Europe who went a combined 5-0-3 in Rome last year, are currently playing again on the DP World Tour as they appeal the suspension, but neither has paid their fines.

On Wednesday, member of the European Ryder Cup 2023, Justin Rose, called for the acceleration of ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, the parent company of LIV Golf, to ensure the inclusion of Rahm, Hatton and other golfers of – LIV. for the 2025 Ryder Cup teams.

“I think we need things to be accelerated quickly,” Rose explained at a press conference ahead of this week’s BMW PGA Championship on the DP World Tour. “Obviously the guys who have gone to LIV – there’s been a period now where we’ve seen the situation with Tyrrell. [Hatton] and Jon [Rahm] they’re gone, too, but they’re still very active in terms of how to play in the Ryder Cup, and I know there are a few highlights that I have to be dotted and T’s crossed to qualify, but I think. the feeling in the team is that we want the best players playing.”

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A native of Pennsylvania, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was the captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as the head coach. Jack is also *still* trying to stay competitive with the local novices. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a reporter/multimedia reporter, but also producing, anchoring and presenting even the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.