The Players Championship is famed for having the strongest field in golf and there's even been speculation that it could, and should, be the fifth Major in men's golf.This point has divided many, with one of the main arguments being that, without the inclusion of LIV Golfers, it can't be classed as a Major field, with The Players Championship only allowed to be played by those on the PGA Tour.
LIV Golfers are banned from teeing it up in PGA Tour events and have been since 2022; however, if LIV Golfers were allowed to play at TPC Sawgrass in the circuit's Flagship Event, which players would we see?Looking at the qualifying criteria for The Players Championship, some notable names would be present and, given their reputations, they would no doubt boost the field even further.One of those is Brooks Koepka, for example, who left LIV Golf to rejoin the PGA Tour this year via it's all-new Returning Member Program. Although he isn't able to play in Signature Events, he does qualify for The Players Championship thanks to his 2023 PGA Championship victory.Below, we list which of those from the LIV Golf League would be able to play in this year's Players Championship, if they were allowed and able to.
Jon Rahm
How Would He Qualify? - 2023 Masters WinRahm signed with the LIV Golf League at the end of 2023, claiming the circuit's individual title in both 2024 and 2025, as well as three victories over those three years.Thanks to his Masters triumph in 2023, where he earned a four stroke victory over Koepka and Phil Mickelson, Rahm secured multiple perks in the process, including Players Championship invites for the next five years.Given his regular position in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Standings while on the circuit, it was unlikely that Rahm would ever need to use this Players Championship invite had he stayed on the PGA Tour, but he would have been teeing it up this week if he had remained present.
Bryson DeChambeau
How Would He Qualify? - 2024 US Open WinLike Rahm, DeChambeau would qualify for The Players Championship via his Major victory, specifically the US Open in 2024, where he claimed a thrilling one shot win over Rory McIlroy.Arguably, DeChambeau is LIV Golf's biggest star and, thanks to his popularity and big-hitting nature, is the player that the PGA Tour is missing the most right now after the 32-year-old joined LIV in 2022.Earning three wins on the LIV Golf League, DeChambeau has nine victories on the PGA Tour, with his best Players Championship result coming in his last outing in 2021. Firing rounds of 69, 69, 67 and 71, he finished T3rd at 12-under, two shots back of winner Justin Thomas.
Cameron Smith
How Would He Qualify? - 2022 Players Championship/Open Championship WinSmith was one of the best players in the world throughout 2022, claiming The Players Championship, Open Championship and the PGA Tour's Player of the Year honors.Unlike winning some of the Majors, a victory at TPC Sawgrass doesn't mean you earn a lifetime invite into it, with a win securing you an invite to The Players Championship for the next five years.Joining LIV Golf after the conclusion of the 2022 PGA Tour season, Smith has earned three wins on the circuit but has seen his Major form drop considerably, missing the cut in his last five starts at the big four tournaments.Rahm, DeChambeau and Smith were the players eligible to return to the PGA Tour via its Returning Member Program, but the trio opted to remain on the LIV Golf League.
Tyrrell Hatton
How Would He Qualify? - World's Top 50Hatton finished second to Scottie Scheffler at The Players Championship in 2023, with the Englishman producing an incredible seven-under back nine of 29 on the final day.Carding seven birdies and two pars, Hatton's back nine meant he finished five behind the World No.1, registering his best result at the Flagship Event in the process.Joining LIV Golf at the same time as Rahm, making up half of Legion XIII on the circuit, Hatton would have qualified for The Players Championship via his Official World Golf Ranking position of 26th. Despite LIV Golf only claiming OWGR points in 2026, Hatton had some great results in 2025 in OWGR sanctioned events, including a solo second at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, T5th at the BMW PGA Championship and a T4th at the US Open.
Patrick Reed
How Would He Qualify? - World's Top 50Although he isn't technically now a LIV Golfer, leaving the circuit following his 2026 Dubai Desert Classic victory, Reed is still ineligible to play in PGA Tour events until August of this year, serving a ban for his involvement with LIV Golf.Reed didn't qualify under the Returning Member Program, due to his Major win coming in 2018 and not 2022. Because of this, Reed will miss The Players Championship despite meeting qualifying criteria.Thanks to his hot start on the DP World Tour, which saw two victories and a runner-up finish in three starts, he is 20th on the OWGR, which would put him comfortably inside the world's top 50 threshold.The American is expected to play events on both the DP World Tour and Asian Tour throughout 2026, before making his PGA Tour return later on in the year.
Thomas Detry
How Would He Qualify? - 2025 WM Phoenix Open Win/Top 100 on 2025 FedEx Cup Fall Points ListDetry enjoyed a fine 2025 that included a maiden PGA Tour victory on the PGA Tour at the WM Phoenix Open, as well as finishing 44th in the FedEx Cup Standings.His 44th finish in the Standings meant he qualified for every PGA Tour Signature Event, including The Players Championship, but Detry instead opted to move to the LIV Golf League in 2026, joining the 4Aces GC alongside Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim and fellow Belgian, Thomas Pieters.Registering seventh, 31st and a runner-up finish in his first three LIV Golf starts, Detry will instead be playing LIV Golf Singapore rather than The Players Championship this week, a tournament where he missed the cut twice in three starts.
Byeong-Hun An
How Would He Qualify? - Top 100 on 2025 FedEx Cup Fall Points ListAnother player who would be teeing it up at TPC Sawgrass is An, who finished 74th in the FedEx Cup Standings and then 77th in the FedEx Cup Fall Standings.Because he was inside the top 100, that secured his spot in the field for The Players Championship, but following his move to the LIV Golf League in 2026, he forfeited his place at the $25 million tournament.Taking over as captain of Korean Golf Club, formerly Iron Heads GC, on the LIV Golf League, An has enjoyed mixed success on the latter circuit. He produced a T9th in his tournament debut, but followed it up with a T24th and T45th.Throughout his career, his best result at The Players Championship was a T26th in 2019, with An finishing T52nd in 2025.
What If The Players Championship Was A Major?
A total of seven LIV Golfers would be eligible to tee it up at The Players Championship this week, but what would happen if the tournament followed a similar criteria to the Majors?With the US Open and PGA Championship, players earn a 10-year exemption for winning, while The Open Championship and The Masters provide their champions with lifetime exemptions.Under the 10-year category, there would be no further LIV players exempt but, if The Players Championship followed a lifetime exemption, then Martin Kaymer (2014), Sergio Garcia (2008) and Phil Mickelson (2007) would qualify.Although not Major-related, one other player that would have qualified for The Players Championship prior to 2026 is Victor Perez.Previously, the top 125 on the FedEx Cup Standings earned their way into TPC Sawgrass but, in 2026, the circuit cut the number down to the top 100. Although he didn't compete in the FedEx Cup Fall, Perez was 109th following the conclusion of the FedEx Cup in August 2025.
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