Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer has claimed the USGA is looking at making changes which could benefit LIV Golf players ahead of the U.S. Open.
Currently, LIV Golf stars who haven’t qualified through exemption have had to endure the arduous process of old-fashioned qualification.
And there will be some notable absentees from this year’s event at Pinehurst No.2.
LIV Golf individual championship leader Joaquin Niemann won’t be present after failing during the qualifying event at The Bear’s Club in Florida. The Chilean finished on two-under-par, one shot adrift on the number required to make the play-off.
Patrick Reed is another LIV star who won’t be present in North Carolina after failing to turn up to his qualifying event in Dallas last month.
USGA chief outlines serious late changes which could help LIV Golf stars
Bodenhamer, speaking to the Golf Channel, has claimed there’s serious consideration in creating a pathway for more LIV golfers to participate in the U.S. Open.
He explained: “From the beginning, we’ve been open, you earn your way in you get to play whether it’s through qualifying or exemption as the past champion.
“You know we’ve watched what is happening in professional golf unfold and we’ve seen a lot of good players go over to LIV & so we’re thinking a lot about it, we’ve talked a lot about it.”
The USGA chief added: “I think it’s reasonable to expect that at some point, yes, we would create a pathway or someway that we would get those great players, give them an opportunity to be unified again, we get a lot of them & there will be a lot that will play this week through exemption, a number of past champions and qualifiers so yeah, I think we’re looking very seriously at that.”
U.S. Open change could be a breakthrough moment for Greg Norman and LIV Golf
Right now, for LIV players outside the top 60, the only way into the year’s most challenging major is by qualification or past exemption.
If the USGA allowed for LIV events to be weighted towards qualification for the third major of the year, it would no doubt be a breakthrough moment.
With talks between the PIF and the PGA Tour ongoing, the USGA changing their stance on LIV could be significant.
It’s clear the game of golf needs unification – and giving breakaway tour players a route back into USGA and PGA Tour events feels like only a matter of time.
After these comments from Bodenhamer, we could be closer to some sort of resolution.
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