LIV Golf players Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka have said they would like to represent Team USA in the Ryder Cup.
The duo are currently involved in a packed LIV Golf League schedule that saw its Australian debut before moving onto this week’s tournament in Singapore. However, before attention turned to the action at Sentosa Golf Club, the pair spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about their prospects of playing in the biennial tournament at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
Johnson, whose 4 Aces GC won the team event in Adelaide, said: “I would love to, absolutely. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed playing and in the last Ryder Cup I played pretty well. It’s one of my favourite events to play in. I’d love to. If I play well for the rest of the year, hopefully I’ll get a consideration.”
Meanwhile, Koepka admitted that he didn’t know if he’d be eligible, but said: “It’s not up to me so I can’t make that decision, but if they choose us, we’ll be ready to go.”
The chance had seemed slim for Johnson, in particular. The 38-year-old, who won all five of his matches in the 2021 tournament, resigned his PGA Tour membership to join LIV Golf, which appeared to leave him ineligible.
However, before last week’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Team USA captain Zach Johnson apparently left the door open to LIV Golf players hoping to make the team, saying: "No decisions have been made. There's still a lot of time left in that regard, and so many fluid factors involved."
He then added further clarification on the status of LIV Golf players, saying: “Not to get overly in the weeds of all this, but in order to garner Ryder Cup points or be eligible for PGA of America Ryder Cup points and PGA Championship points, you have to be a member of PGA of America. Those individuals that have left the PGA Tour, to my knowledge, are still members of PGA of America. There’s a grace period involved there. I don’t know the specifics.”
The PGA of America later confirmed to Golf.com that LIV Golf players are eligible. A statement read: “PGA of America membership is a requirement to be eligible to participate on the US Ryder Cup Team. Under the PGA of America membership rules there are classifications that currently allow LIV Tour members to retain their PGA of America membership status.
"PGA Tour members are considered A3 classification. Because the LIV players paid their membership dues before June 30, 2022, they will retain their membership through the end of June 2023 and then through a grace period that runs through the end of June 2024. After that, under our current rules, they may apply for PGA’s Reserve Member classification. A3 members who resigned or are no longer PGA Tour Members (suspended) are still PGA of America members.”
After The Masters, the PGA of America also confirmed that Koepka would receive his full Ryder Cup points for his runner-up finish, which would surely have offered encouragement to LIV Golf players hoping to make the team that they would be considered.
While there are no guarantees either Johnson or Koepka will join the likes of PGA Tour players Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas on Team USA, the closer the tournament gets, the more the indications are they may get their wish.
