LIV Golf blow as nine stars fail to qualify for The Open as player makes striking decision
The Open is set to get underway later this month, but nine LIV stars will be absent from the tournament.
LIV Golf has suffered a major blow after nine of its stars failed to qualify for The Open. The fourth major of the season will get underway at the Royal Troon Golf Club on Thursday, July 18, with the winner crowned three days later.
LIV Golf became a rival of the PGA Tour following its launch in 2021, with a whole host of golf stars defecting to the new tour, which is funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.
And some players have been able to earn a small fortune since signing up to the new competition.
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But LIV Golf tournaments aren’t recognised by the official world golf rankings, which means players are forced to go through qualifying to get into events such as The Open.
And Talor Gooch, Sergio Garcia, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood will all miss out on The Open this year, as will Martin Kaymer, Thomas Pieters and Graeme McDowell.
Gooch is the current LIV Golf player of the year and won three times on last year’s circuit. But he made a striking decision to refuse the chance to qualify for this year’s US Open and The Open through Final Qualifying.
And when he and his Smash GC team-mates were asked whether they were planning to enter qualifying for the US Open earlier this year, Gooch simply replied: “I'm not”.
Seven of the nine absentees opted not to take up a place in Final Qualifying, with only Garcia and McDowell giving it a go.
The Spaniard fell two shots short after carding three-under par in his second qualifying round and has failed to reach the major for a second consecutive year. Meanwhile the Northern Irishman, who is a four-time PGA Tour winner, hasn’t played at any major since 2020.
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Ahead of The Open, Scottie Scheffler is the favourite to land the trophy, with the likes of Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Xander Schauffele also tipped to be in the running.
Last year’s edition of the tournament, which was held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, Merseyside, was won by Brian Harman who is a rank outsider this time around.
And following his victory in 2023, the American ace explained: “You know, I've always had a self-belief that I could do something like this. It's just when it takes so much time it's hard not to let your mind falter, like maybe I'm not winning again.
“To come out and put a performance like that together, like start to finish, just had a lot of control. I don't know why this week, but I'm very thankful that it was this week.”
