PINEHURST, N.C. — The US Golf Affiliation will weigh within the offseason whether or not to create an exemption class that may make it simpler for LIV Golf League gamers to qualify for the U.S. Open, CEO Mike Whan mentioned Wednesday.
“We will discuss it this offseason, whether or not or not there must be a path to any individual, or somebodies, which can be performing rather well on LIV that may get an opportunity to play in that approach,” Whan mentioned forward of the 124th U.S. Open, which begins Thursday at Pinehurst No. 2.
“I feel we’re severe about that. Precisely what that appears like and the way that’ll curtail, I am not simply being coy, we’ve not performed that but.”
There are 12 LIV Golf League gamers within the subject this week, together with previous U.S. Open champions Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Martin Kaymer.
Jon Rahm, winner of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, withdrew from the match Tuesday due to a left foot harm.
“There [are] no out-of-bounds stakes on our subject standards,” Whan mentioned. “In different phrases, this main, in all probability totally different than some others, you may get in. It isn’t a closed subject. It does not require a committee or an invite. If you wish to play on this subject, you’ve got obtained a chance to play on this subject, and we’re pleased with that.”
Kaymer, who received the final U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014, is within the remaining yr of his 10-year exemption within the occasion. Phil Mickelson, a six-time runner-up within the U.S. Open, may have only one yr left on his five-year exemption for successful the 2021 PGA Championship.
Three LIV Golf gamers — Dean Burmester, David Puig and Eugenio Chacarra — made the sector by means of remaining qualifying. Sergio Garcia, enjoying in his twenty fifth straight U.S. Open, was added as an alternate from remaining qualifying Monday.
Whan mentioned there have been 35 LIV Golf gamers who had been eligible to compete in remaining qualifying, however most elected to not try to make the sector.
“In the event that they actually wished to be right here, they might go play 36 holes and qualify. And a few did, to their credit score,” Whan mentioned.
Whan indicated {that a} potential pathway would not be “enormous.” The USGA has exemptions for the winner of the European BMW PGA Championship and the highest two finishers within the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai standings from the earlier season, in addition to the highest participant within the present standings on Might 20 who is not in any other case eligible.
There’s additionally one spot within the subject for the factors chief from the earlier season on the Korn Ferry Tour.
In accordance with Whan, the USGA will wait to see if the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund attain some form of settlement earlier than making any resolution about pathways for LIV Golf League gamers. The perimeters met in New York on Friday, and a deal in some capability may be imminent — though it appears it would not reunite the competing circuits quickly.
“We have at all times felt like for the final yr and a half that we’re at all times three months away from sort of understanding what the brand new construction goes to appear like,” Whan mentioned. “So earlier than we sort of react, what’s LIV going to be? What is the PGA Tour? So we at all times sort of felt like we’re nearly to know that reply, so let’s determine that out.
“Now, I feel the explanation we’re being extra vocal about that for subsequent yr is perhaps that is the brand new world order. And if that is the case, we wished to try that.”
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