• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Want a chance to win $250 and free FOS gear? Take our quick reader survey. Take the survey here

LIV Golf’s Ongoing Impact Still Looms Over Presidents Cup

  • The Presidents Cup begins Thursday in Montreal.
  • LIV Golf players are banned from competing for either the U.S. or international teams.
Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The Presidents Cup will tee off Thursday at the Royal Montreal Golf Club, and the disruption of LIV Golf on the PGA Tour–operated team event is still being felt after three full seasons for the controversial circuit.

Comprising two 12-man rosters from the U.S. and foreign countries outside of Europe, both squads this week would likely look different without LIV’s presence, particularly on the international side. LIV players remain banned from PGA Tour events, including the Presidents Cup, despite ongoing negotiations with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. “There’s just so many moving pieces in that deal,” top Team USA qualifier Scottie Scheffler said. That differs from the Ryder Cup, which is managed by the PGA of America and European Tour and does not have an explicit ban on LIV members.

How We Got Here

The last Presidents Cup before the men’s professional game became fractured was in 2019, when eight players who are now on LIV competed in Australia (five internationals, three Americans), as the Tiger Woods–captained U.S. team came from behind to win 16–14 on the final day. A ninth now-LIV player, Brooks Koepka, made the U.S. team but withdrew due to injury. 

At the 2022 Presidents Cup (delayed one year by the COVID-19 pandemic), top international qualifier Cam Smith was ineligible due to his late-summer move to LIV. So was No. 4 qualifier Joaquín Niemann. With stronger depth to withstand LIV defections (like Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Dustin Johnson), the U.S. won 17.5 to 12.5. Comprising 30 available points, players compete as pairs in alternate shot and four-ball matches, as well as head-to-head singles.

While it’s impossible to say which LIV players would have made this year’s Presidents Cup teams under different circumstances, many of those mentioned above would have at least been in the mix. DeChambeau won the U.S. Open, while Niemann and Smith finished second and seventh, respectively, in LIV’s individual standings.

In Canada, the U.S. will be led by the likes of Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, and Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott, and Jason Day on the international side.

Northern Mentality

LIV aside, the PGA Tour is gearing up for a big week in Montreal.

With a six-day total capacity crowd of 162,000 expected (practice rounds Tuesday and Wednesday), this marks the largest international staging of the event with more than 550,000 square feet of hospitality, and a 2,000-seat first tee stadium. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the honorary chairman of this Presidents Cup, will be at the final round Sunday. 

Topping the premium offerings is the Trophy Club, which includes space inside Royal Montreal’s clubhouse and a two-sided on-course venue with views of the 10th and 11th holes. A single ticket for the weekend costs just under $2,000.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Aug 25, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Close up view of the ball and club of Scott Scheffler during the first round of the TOUR Championship golf tournament.

From Third Tier to $1M: Michael Brennan’s Surprise PGA Tour Win

The 23-year-old won his first professional start on the PGA Tour.

As the NFL, NBA, and NHL Go Global, The Masters Is Looking..

The tournament’s chairman touted new qualification measures.

YouTube Stars Help Bring Back Golf Channel’s ‘Big Break’

The show will return in 2026 after an 11-year hiatus.
January 8, 2023; Maui, Hawaii, USA; Matt Fitzpatrick hits his tee shot on the 11th hole during the final round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions golf tournament at Kapalua Resort - The Plantation Course.

PGA Tour Cancels $20M Season Opener After Moving Out of Maui

The 2026 season will now begin a week later at the Sony Open in Honolulu.

Featured Today

September 21, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; NFL commissioner Roger Goodell before the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium

NFL Fall Meeting: 7 Big Topics Among Team Owners 

Media, facilities, and labor highlight some of the key areas of concern.
Ohio State Buckeyes running back Isaiah West (32) runs the ball in the second half at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 in Madison, Wisconsin
October 25, 2025

NIL Has Birthed a Third-Party Cottage Industry—and It’s a Mess

There’s no limit to how much players can make from NIL deals.
Christie's
October 21, 2025

Lou Gehrig’s $4M Jersey and the Exploding Sports Memorabilia Market

An ultra-rare sports collection is about to hit the auction block.
@chef__tezz/Instagram
October 19, 2025

Inside the NFL’s Private Chef Network

Private chefs are the unsung architects of player performance.
Terry Rozier

NBA Union Says It Will Fight Decision to Withhold Rozier’s Pay

Rozier has one year and $26.3 million left on his contract.
Oct 24, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Nashville SC during the first half at Chase Stadium.
October 28, 2025

Lionel Messi: MLS Can’t Grow Without More Spending Power

The Inter Miami star recently signed a contract extension through 2028.
October 28, 2025

WNBA Proposes 30-Day Extension on CBA Negotiations

The CBA expires Oct. 31; a deal is not expected by then.
Sponsored

Why Alexis Ohanian Is Betting Big on Women’s Sports

Alexis Ohanian reflects on his evolution from Reddit cofounder to one of today’s most dynamic sports investors.
Napheesa Collier
October 28, 2025

WNBA, Players Remain Far Apart With CBA Deadline Days Away 

A union lawyer says a deal will not be reached by Friday.
Alexis Ohanian
October 28, 2025

Alexis Ohanian: Angel City Ownership Setup Was a ‘Terrible Idea’

He admits that the NWSL club’s governance was a disaster.
October 28, 2025

Shohei Ohtani’s Historic World Series Game 3 Sets Up High-Stakes Game 4

Ohtani will start Game 4 on the mound after another epic performance Monday.
Oct 26, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The 2025 World Series logo on the field at Dodger Stadium.
October 27, 2025

Dodger Stadium Games Could Push MLB Payouts to Record Highs

The Dodgers’ big ballpark and ticket prices help fuel postseason player pay.