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Golf Monthly

Sport

Paul Higham

How Would A LIV Golf Major Pathway Work?

LIV (Organization) Major (Organization) LIV Golf Majors Golf Joaquin Niemann Golf Monthly League Jon Rahm Sergio Garcia

Jon Rahm high fives fans as he walks off the green.

Top of the list for LIV Golf officials, including the incoming CEO to replace Greg Norman, needs to be getting players direct access into the Majors.

A stack of cash is one thing, but the really top players have Major ambitions and exemptions for some big names at LIV are starting to expire - and that could be a red flag for possible new recruits.

World ranking points aren't available due to the watered down promotion and relegation, so a deal for direct access needs to be done, but just how many from a field of 54 or so deserve to get into the Majors?

Kevin Na told Golf Monthly that each LIV event winner, plus the top-16 in the final standings, should get into the following year's four Majors, but Joaquin Niemann thought just the top 10 would do.

Here's what our Golf Monthly writers had to say on the subject....

Should LIV Golf League get a Major pathway? And how would it work?

While I’m not a fan of LIV Golf, I acknowledge that its best players who aren’t otherwise exempt should probably be invited to take part in the Majors. The circuit boasts enough quality golfers that winning tournaments and recording strong finishes are notable achievements.

I’m not sure every tournament winner should be invited, however. In my mind, the top ten on the money list should all be represented in the Majors - this could be set the Sunday the week before one starts.

I also think tournament winners between each Major should be invited e.g. if you win an event before The Masters, you qualify to play at Augusta, but that doesn’t mean you get entry into the PGA Championship (unless you’re inside the top ten on the money list).

I have to agree with many of LIV's top players that it is time for the League to gain direct access into the Majors.

LIV Golf is no longer on the sidelines. It is well and truly part of the golf ecosystem, evidence seen by Brooks Koepka playing in the Ryder Cup as a LIV Golfer and both Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will almost certainly play for Europe again this year.

The quality of the League's roster continues to rise and its players continually hold their own in the Majors. By a rough guess, around 2/3s of LIV players have made the cut each time 12-18 of them have teed it up in the Majors over the past two years. At The Masters 8/13 made the weekend, at the PGA 11/16 made the cut, at the US Open it was 8/12 and at The Open 10/17 played all four rounds at Troon.

The PGA Tour's top 30 make it into all four so I think 10-12 is a fair number. Kevin Na thinks every tournament winner and the top 16 should make it, which is perhaps a little too far. The circuit has 54 players so I see no problem in giving the top 10, who aren't already qualified, access into each Major.

It could be that each Major considers LIV differently. The PGA Championship might give exemptions to every tournament winner from the past season while The Masters could add a route for the top three who aren't already exempt, for example. None of us know how it will work if the League does get exemptions, but I think that time is coming soon.

I'm still not totally convinced that playing in LIV should get you directly into the Majors - as those who are good enough will find a way in via performances elsewhere or go through qualifying as Sergio Garcia has done continuously.

I certainly don't think just winning one LIV event is worth access to four Majors ahead of someone toiling away on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour or making the effort to qualify. And, looking at the standings above, there was only one event winner who finished outside the top 16.

But you can't argue with the quality of players that would get in via the top 10 of the individual standings. The cream usually rises to the top so I'd agree with Niemann and allow the top 10 into the next year's Majors as we do want the best players competing in golf's biggest events.

There could be an optional extension down to the top 16 depending on how many of the top 10 have already qualified, and leave that to the discretion of each Major. And, of course, those that don't make it from LIV always have the option of trying to qualify for the Open and US Open if they feel they're good enough.

Overall, I think you can't deny that LIV possesses too much quality to not have exemptions into Majors. Obviously, with only 54 players in the League, though, there would have to be a limit and, personally, one victory on LIV shouldn't qualify you for all four Majors.

Like my colleagues above, I feel that an effective way would be to look at the standings at the time of the Major, with the top 5 or 10, who aren't already exempt, securing a spot from the circuit.

By doing it this way, it will give an incentive for LIV players to go and get that victory plus, if it's done the week before the Major, it will reward those who are in-form, as well as those putting in consistent performances. Also, let's be honest, if you win a LIV event, the likelihood is you'll qualify via the leaderboard method.

If you were to look at those who finished inside the top 10 last year, you would have the likes of Niemann, Garcia, Hatton, Oosthuizen and Burmester present. That calibre of player isn't going to weaken a Major field whatsoever - if anything it would strengthen it. So, overall, I would opt for Niemann's method of the top 10. The Majors want the big names and, by doing so, you are guaranteed to bring the best to the fields.