Despite calls from Keegan Bradley to have the “12 best players” on his U.S. side next year at the Ryder Cup, the PGA of America has yet to confirm the eligibility status of LIV Golf players, including U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.
The Telegraph in the U.K. is reporting that there is reluctance among the PGA of America to allow for DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and other LIV Golf players to become members of the organization, which would allow Bradley to pick them via one of his at-large selections last year.
A PGA of America spokesman told Sports Illustrated on Wednesday that the organization doesn’t “have anything to share at this time,” and previously has not confirmed whether LIV golfers would be eligible to compete at Bethpage Black next year.
Koepka played for the U.S. team last year in Rome and was one of captain Zach Johnson’s at-large picks. He had won the PGA Championship and finished seventh in the Ryder Cup points standings despite not being eligible for PGA Tour events, where the majority of points could be earned.
At the time, Koepka was eligible due to a stipulation in the PGA of America rules which allowed him to remain a PGA of America member via “a grace period” that extended through 2024. That time frame concludes at the end of this year and automatic membership via the PGA Tour is gone.
“After that, under our current rules, they may apply for PGA’s Reserve Member Classification,” the regulations state. “A3 members who resigned or are no longer PGA Tour members (suspended) are still PGA of America members.”
The PGA of America has yet to clarify where it stands going into 2025.
Bradley said last month that he didn’t expect any changes to the qualifying system, which has already begun with players earning points in 2024 at the major championships and the Players Championship. There would likely be six players who make the team through a points system that concludes next August. Bradley would then have six at-large picks.
Following his victory at the BMW Championship, Bradley was asked specifically about LIV players and their eligibility.
“You have not heard that LIV guys are ineligible, have you? Is it like it was the last time? You have the option to pick them if you want?” he was asked.
Bradley replied: “Yeah, I'm going to have the best 12 players, so the PGA of America, they—we're going to have the 12 best players, so they need to figure that out, if that's their problem. I know you have to be a PGA member to play in the Ryder Cup. That's the only stipulation that you need. So we'll make sure if some of those guys that we think might make the team, we'll make sure that they are a member.”
DeChambeau, who finished tied for sixth at the Masters and second at the PGA Championship before winning the U.S. Open, is currently third in U.S. Ryder Cup standings. The points process is not expected to begin again until January.
“The only weird area is the LIV guys, what they do and where they fall on the list,” Bradley said during that same interview. “We're going to have to really get with the captains, get with the team that's going to be there and figure that out.”
Bradley, 38, was the surprise choice in July to lead the U.S. team next year. He was recently picked by captain Jim Furyk to play for the U.S. side in the Presidents Cup, which is next week at Royal Montreal.
He will also be part of a one-year out news conference along with European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald in New York on Oct. 8.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Bryson DeChambeau May Be Ineligible for 2025 Ryder Cup.
