LIV Golfers Ride Special Invites Into PGA, Still Shut Out of Rankings

CHARLOTTE — The leaders of the PGA Championship are content with LIV Golf’s unsettled place in the professional game, which has forced organizers of the four major championships to pivot from their traditional operations.

LIV, in its fourth season, still does not award Official World Golf Ranking points at its events, leading to formerly top-ranked players and some young rising stars losing their easiest pathways into the majors.

While the U.S. Open and Open Championship (also known as the British Open) created special exemption categories for a LIV member to qualify, The Masters and PGA Championship have relied on special invites. Four LIV members who did not qualify for the PGA Championship received those this week: Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann, Tom McKibbin, and David Puig. There are 16 LIV players in the field. Last year, seven LIV players received special invites.

“We look at every tour that’s playing worldwide golf and try and identify the best players from those respective tours,” PGA of America chief championship officer Kerry Haigh said Tuesday at Quail Hollow Club.

There are 99 out of the top 100 players in the world at the PGA Championship. “It’s a worldwide field,” Haigh said. “That’s why we feel it’s the strongest field.”

PGA of America CEO Derek Sprague, who is one of seven members of the OWGR board, said he has spoken briefly with LIV CEO Scott O’Neil, but didn’t have an update on the league’s efforts to gain world ranking points.

“He’s encouraged to submit an application for the board to review,” Sprague said. “Other than that, I have nothing else to report.”