LIV Golfer Lucas Herbert is refusing to be downhearted about missing out on a PGA Championship invite despite some excellent recent form.
After a relatively subdued start to his LIV Golf career, Herbert finished his maiden season with the League on a high with two ties for sixth, and he has continued that form into 2025.
The Ripper GC player sits fifth in the Individual Standings following three top-10 finishes, including T2 at LIV Golf Mexico City. It’s not just with LIV Golf where Herbert has impressed, either. He placed T8 in March’s International Series Macau on the Asian Tour and held a two-shot lead after an opening round 62 in its latest elevated event, the International Series Japan.
Despite that, the 29-year-old is one of many LIV Golfers whose world ranking has plummeted since joining the League, meaning special invitations are now one of their best hopes of playing in the PGA Championship.
Even though the Australian won’t be playing at Quail Hollow next week, he revealed he didn’t think an appearance was a possibility until this week. Following the opening round at Caledonian Golf Club, he said: “I didn't think I had any chance for the entire year, until I found out there was, I think, meetings or conversations had on Monday to decide the final spots. But they've always been pretty consistent with who they've invited.”
Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, David Puig, Joaquin Niemann, Tom McKibbin and Patrick Reed are the full-time LIV Golfers who were handed places at the Major via a special invitation, but Herbert is philosophical about missing out on the list. “You know, the reality is, I knew what I was signing up for when I came out to LIV,” he admitted.
“Hopefully one day it changes, and there's more of a defined pathway for the guys on LIV who are playing well to be playing in the Majors. I think there's players other than myself, that are playing really well, that are going to be teeing it up at Quail Hollow. So, you know, we would like to see that at some point."
Earlier in the year, both the US Open and The Open introduced such a pathway, albeit with just one place up for grabs in each via placing in the Individual Standings by a certain date. While those moves offer hope to LIV Golfers, neither The Masters nor the PGA Championship has followed suit. Despite the situation, Herbert isn't feeling sorry for himself that he missed out on an invitation.
“Obviously, the way it is at the moment, you know it's their decision to invite who they want. I wasn't on that list. I don't necessarily think I was unlucky not to get an invite. The rules and the criteria set out there in front of me, and going to LIV was always going to make that difficult.”
