LIV Golfer Clinches Coveted Spot in U.S. Open This Year!

For the first time, the Saudi-supported LIV Golf League has been granted direct access to one of golf’s major tournaments. The USGA recently confirmed that it would offer a U.S. Open exemption based on the LIV Golf’s points rankings.

The U.S. Open has made a historic move by announcing that a player leading the LIV Golf League points list this spring will automatically qualify for the tournament at Oakmont in June. This marks the first major championship to provide such a direct exemption to a player from the LIV Golf League.

The USGA has outlined 24 exemption categories for this prestigious event, including exemptions for the top 10 players from the LIV Golf League as of April. These players will bypass local qualifying and move directly into the final 36-hole qualifying rounds.

Starting in 2026, the exemption will expand to include two players: one from this year’s final standings and another based on the league’s points list in the spring of 2026.

John Bodenhamer, USGA chief championships officer, stated, “The USGA is committed to continuously assessing the various avenues available to ensure that top performers have the chance to participate in our national championship. Adding a new exemption category is in line with our tradition of recognizing outstanding talent across professional and amateur events.”

As of now, other major championships have not established a direct exemption pathway through a LIV Golf points system.

While The Masters extended a special exemption to Joaquin Niemann for 2025, it did not associate this decision with his involvement in LIV Golf. Niemann, along with Sergio Garcia, a former Masters champion, has also been invited to the PGA Championship.

Last year, Niemann and Garcia ranked second and third in the LIV Golf League standings, just behind Jon Rahm, who has secured his place in all the major tournaments following his victories at the 2021 U.S. Open and 2023 Masters.

However, no major has yet created an exemption category specifically for LIV Golf League players.

Scott O’Neil, CEO of LIV Golf, expressed his gratitude, saying, “We are thankful that the USGA has established a new exemption for LIV Golf players at the U.S. Open. We appreciate Mike Whan’s dedication to the growth of golf and are eager to continue collaborating with golf’s governing bodies to enhance the sport globally.”

The British Open has not yet disclosed its exemption categories for 2025.

LIV Golf’s fourth season kicks off this week in Riyadh, and the cutoff for the U.S. Open exemption is May 19, which will be after the first seven of the 14 scheduled tournaments. The leading player from the top three, who is not already exempt, will secure a spot, while the top 10 players as of April 7 will skip local qualifiers.

Last year, LIV Golf withdrew its request for Official World Golf Ranking points, anticipating that major championships would naturally offer spots based on its own competitive schedule.

Some LIV officials believe the league should have at least 10 spots allocated from its seasonal points list or through a combination of categories.

The USGA’s new category, while not meeting these expectations, acknowledges the top LIV Golf player. The U.S. Open typically exempts the top 60 players in the OWGR as of two dates in spring, a challenging position for players like Niemann without points from LIV events.

Next year, the top player among the top three from the final 2025 standings and the leading player from the spring of 2026, if not already exempt, will qualify for the tournament at Shinnecock Hills.

Currently, seven LIV Golf players are exempt for the 2025 U.S. Open, including notable names like Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson. Tyrrell Hatton, ranked eighth in the OWGR, is expected to qualify through the top 60 exemption.

If the top three players in LIV points at the cutoff include any of these exempt players, no additional players will qualify through this new category.

No changes were made to the USGA’s exemption list from the previous year.

Other major winners from the past five years, along with U.S. Open champions from the last decade, top the exemption list. The top 60 OWGR players in May and June also secure spots, alongside the 30 qualifiers from last year’s PGA Tour Championship.

The DP World Tour will contribute three players to the field, and the top performer from the Korn Ferry Tour will also receive an exemption.

Consistent with tradition, over half of the 156-player field will qualify through local and final qualifiers.