DeChambeau: LIV’s top 12 players should get Major places
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Bryson DeChambeau wants LIV Golf’s 12 best players to get places in the following year’s Majors after world rankings snub.
LIV suffered a massive blow on Thursday when the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) denied the rebel tour status for their events, meaning players on the Saudi-backed tour will struggle to qualify for the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, and The Open, without an exemption or change to the qualifying criteria.
In response, a LIV statement said the decision “robs some traditional tournaments of the best fields possible”.
“A ranking which fails to fairly represent all participants, irrespective of where in the world they play golf, robs fans, players, and all of golf’s stakeholders of the objective basis underpinning any accurate recognition of the world’s best player performances,” it added.
Every player who has joined LIV has seen their world ranking slide dramatically regardless of their performances in the 54-hole events with DeChambeau among those who have been impacted.
The big-hitting American has gone from the top ten to 132nd despite two victories and some spectacular rounds, including a record-equalling 58, this year. He was also snubbed for the US Ryder Cup team by captain Zach Johnson.
But speaking ahead of LIV’s final regular season event in Jeddah, DeChambeau called upon the Majors to make space for LIV’s best performers to ensure the strongest fields compete at the flagship tournaments.
“I think at this point in time now that they’re not allowing it, we would love to find another way to be integrated into the Major Championship system since I think we have some of the best players in the world,” the 30-year-old said.
“Top 12 on the list, the Money List at the end of the year or the points list at the end of the year would be, I think, obvious for the Major Championships to host the best players in the world at those four events each year.
The Crushers GC captain was one of the first to criticize OWGR’s decision to reject LIV’s bid and reiterated his stance ahead of his bid to win LIV’s individual title.
“It’s honestly sad that they’ve done that, and people are going to say that it’s sad that we came over here, but it’s like, look, this is an amazing opportunity for every one of us,” he said.
“I think we’ve told that narrative quite a bit, and we want to continue to change and grow the game in places like Saudi Arabia, like Singapore, like Australia, numerous places we’ve all been throughout this year, and we’re going to continue to do so over the course of time.
“I think that’s what’s needed, I think it’s what’s necessary, and I think we are doing a solid job of it so far, and it’s only going to get better. In regards to the OWGR, it is what it is.
Despite the world rankings blow, DeChambeau will be one of several LIV golfers to play in all of 2024’s Majors. The American received a five-year exemption for winning the 2020 US Open.
Martin Slumbers, chief executive of the R&A, which runs The Open, was quick to respond to DeChambeau’s suggestion.
“I think that’s one of the options that we have,” he said. “It’s not the option that is top of my list at the moment, but it would be one of the options that is available.”
2023 saw a significant number of LIV players tee it up in the Majors thanks to similar exemptions, with Brooks Koepka becoming the first of the tour’s players to win one of the big four when he sealed his third PGA Championship with victory at Oak Hill.
That win came just weeks after Koepka had finished as runner-up at the Masters. LIV players who appear in the Majors will receive OWGR points for those events, with Koepka’s performances in the four events in 2023 helping him up to No.18 and securing him a pick for the Ryder Cup defeat in Rome.
About the Author
Rob specializes in the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and the Ryder Cup, spending large chunks of his days reading about, writing about, and watching the tours each month.
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Bryson DeChambeau wants LIV's top 12 players to get places in the Majors.
