As several golfers who have earned a spot in next week’s 122nd U.S. Open prepare to compete in the first LIV Golf event outside London, many people wondered whether the game’s governing bodies would continue to honor their spots in the field at The Country Club.
Tuesday afternoon, the United States Golf Association put the wondering to rest.
“We pride ourselves in being the most open championship in the world and the players who have earned the right to compete in this year’s championship, both via exemption and qualifying, will have the opportunity to do so,” the USGA stated in a press release. “Our field criteria were set prior to entries opening earlier this year and it’s not appropriate, nor fair to competitors, to change criteria once established.”
It appears that the final decision for the governing body of golf in the United States, Canada and Mexico was a simple question.
“Should a player who had earned his way into the 2022 U.S. Open, via our published field criteria, be pulled out of the field as a result of his decision to play in another event? And we ultimately decided that they should not.”
This clears the way for Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na and other players who have a spot in the field at the U.S. Open and who are playing in this week’s LIV Golf event to compete. However, the USGA made clear that it is not endorsing the new tour.
“Our decision regarding our field for the 2022 U.S. Open should not be construed as the USGA supporting an alternative organizing entity, nor supportive of any individual player actions or comments. Rather, it is simply a response to whether or not the USGA views playing in an alternative event, without the consent of their home tour, an offense that should disqualify them for the U.S. Open.”
