US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson has seemingly confirmed that LIV players will be able to qualify for Rome 2023.
The American was asked plenty of LIV-related questions after he finished up the 2023 PGA Championship, from what he thought of Brooks Koepka's form to whether he watches LIV events and if he'd feel comfortable with them on the team.
"Yeah, he's on the team. He's got direct ownership in that, absolutely," Johnson said on whether a LIV player takes one of the six automatic positions.
Despite admitting that the Saudi-backed league's players could be on his 12-man team in September, two-time Major winner Johnson couldn't answer whether he'd be comfortable with that.
"I don't know. I can't answer that," he said. "I'll say this: The guys that are on the PGA Tour that make that team, they have direct ownership in that collectively.
"So for me to stand here and say that I would feel comfortable or uncomfortable with it would be, I would think, responsible on my behalf because it's not my team."
And whether Koepka can make the team and if he'd feel comfortable with that? It's far too early to say.
"I think it's too premature, frankly irresponsible, to even have any sort of opinion about that," Johnson said.
"I think given where we are at right now, there's a lot of points out, No. 1.
"No. 2, you have a bunch of elevated events.
"Shoot, No. 3, if you go back on history, there's names right now that probably on both tours that we're not even mentioning that could have a chance given what's from us. So I haven't even begun to discuss picks with anybody that I trust in my circle, specifically the vice captains. I feel like it's irrelevant to even discuss."
It remains to be seen whether Koepka, or any other Americans who play in the LIV Golf League, will be on Team USA this year, but if they are they'll be heading to Marco Simone Golf and Country Club two-and-a-half weeks before the Ryder Cup on a scouting mission.
“I have something already in store and a plan,” he said earlier in the week. “I made it a priority that I'm taking the 12 guys that make my team to Rome two weeks prior to the event – two and a half weeks prior to the event - so that way we get our feet on the grounds, they get their feet on the grounds, experience Marco Simone first hand.
“Then when we leave and come back home for two weeks, they'll have at least, I think, a pretty realistic expectation as to what is required.
“I think that trip right there is going to be crucial. Certainly chemistry and camaraderie and all that good stuff inside the locker room. It's a priority for those guys to get on Marco Simone.”
While LIV players are able to qualify and earn Ryder Cup points, they're currently only able to do so in the Major championships. It's thought that Koepka would move up to 2nd in the points list with a win at Oak Hill and only two more opportunities to earn points are available before September - next month's US Open and July's 151st Open Championship.
