The PGA of America is welcoming LIV Golf members by saying they will not be prohibited from competing in the Ryder Cup or the PGA Championship.
The organization released a statement Thursday saying that players who are eligible will be allowed to compete in both.
It did not specify how players might become eligible for the PGA Championship as there are no direct avenues via the LIV Golf League.
“To ensure the PGA Championship will continue to deliver the strongest field in golf and that the U.S. Ryder Cup team will continue to have access to the best American players, the PGA of America board has determined that LIV Golf players will be eligible for both,” the PGA said in a statement. “Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the U.S. team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete. This is consistent with LIV Golf players competing in the PGA Championship the past two years. Brooks Koepka was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team last year.”
The Telegraph in the U.K. reported Wednesday that there was reluctance among the PGA of America to allow for Bryson DeChambeau, Koepka and other LIV Golf players to become members of the organization, which would allow U.S. captain Keegan Bradley to pick them via one of his at-large selections next year for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York.
A PGA of America spokesman told Sports Illustrated on Wednesday that the organization didn't have anything to share, but the organization reversed course Thursday with the issue around LIV players holding membership status in the PGA of America.
“It's more of a cleanup,” said Kerry Haigh, PGA of America chief championships officer and interim CEO, to GolfChannel.com. “We've added the LIV tour to the list of tours that are eligible towards A-3 membership, which all (PGA) Tour members are eligible for. The LIV players had previously been (PGA of America) members but had we not done this they would have had to go through more requirements which no other tour members are asked to do.”
The PGA Championship traditionally invites players who are ranked among the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking although that is not a stated exemption criteria.
DeChambeau won the U.S. Open this summer and finished second to Xander Schauffele at the PGA Championship and would be an obvious captain's pick for Keegan Bradley if he doesn’t make the U.S. team on points next year. He's currently third on the points list maintained by the PGA of America.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as LIV Golfers Will Not Be Prohibited From Playing on 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup Team.
