Open Championship 2025: Leading LIV golfer to be awarded spot at Royal Portrush major in July
Leading LIV Golf player in top five of standings who is not otherwise exempt will be invited to compete at 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush; US Open announced last week that it would offer direct spot to leading LIV star as well; stream golf's majors with NOW
Monday 10 February 2025 23:39, UK
The Open Championship has become the latest major tournament to offer a spot to a leading LIV Golf player in 2025.
The highest-ranked golfer in the top five of this season's LIV standings at the end of the Dallas event in June who is not otherwise exempt will be invited to compete at Royal Portrush the following month.
Last week, US Open organisers announced they would hand a place at Oakmont in June to the highest-placed player in LIV's top three who is not otherwise exempt.
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Other LIV golfers can still secure a place at Royal Portrush from July 17-20 through their world ranking or via the Open Qualifying Series, which includes the New Zealand Open.
Final qualifying events will take place at venues around Great Britain and Ireland in June and July.
R&A chief: LIV players should have opportunity to play at Open
Mark Darbon, chief executive of the R&A, said: "The Open is a global championship for the best men's golfers and each year we review our exemptions to ensure that we offer pathways into the Championship based on results achieved on the leading professional tours.
"We acknowledge that players competing in LIV Golf should also have the opportunity to secure places in The Open through its individual season standings as well as existing pathways.
"We are proud to offer a wide range of opportunities to qualify globally and look forward to seeing which golfers will emerge to take their place at Royal Portrush in July."
LIV Golf chief executive Scott O'Neil added: "We thank Mark Darbon for his leadership and the R&A for taking this step for the benefit of moving golf forward.
"The acknowledgement that competitors from the LIV Golf League and The International Series will have the opportunity to play in golf's original major is a true testament to the strength of fields and the R&A's commitment to golf fans around the world.
"LIV will continue our mission to bring the best players to the four corners of the world to grow the game. We are excited for the future of this great sport."
Weir: Open place gives LIV credibility
Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir on the R&A's stance on LIV:
"A lot of the biggest names in LIV - Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau - are already exempt for The Open Championship, as are former Open champions like Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson and Louis Oosthuizen.
"But I think this is significant for a lot of the younger players who have taken a gamble by going to LIV - Tom McKibbin, for example. There were no pathways into a major championship and now there is one for him.
"The same for some of the old guard we're used to seeing on so many Ryder Cup teams - Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter.
"It gives quite a lot of credibility to LIV. In the past, the criticism of LIV has been it's essentially exhibition golf, that players aren't playing for anything other than money - and they've been paid in advance in many cases. Even if you finish dead-last, you're going to walk home with hundreds of thousands of pounds.
"I think we are now one step closer to seeing some form of coming back together in golf. What that looks like, we wait to see, but the fact The Open Championship, the greatest tournament in world golf, is now offering a place to LIV, I think is hugely significant."
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Beem on the LIV exemptions and what they say about golf's chance of peace deal
Rich Beem, the 2002 PGA Championship winner, speaking on the latest edition of the Sky Sports Golf Podcast about the first bespoke LIV Golf major exemptions:
"I think we can all understand why. They're all still great players [on LIV] and to reward somebody for having an exemplary year with an exemption to the US Open or The Open Championship, I think is well-founded.
"I think if you look at the depth, all the talent that's on LIV, it's there - we can't deny that whatsoever. Bryson DeChambeau, the reigning US Open champion, Brooks Koepka, PGA champion, both won while on the LIV tour.
"These guys can flat out play. There's no doubt about it and for those exemptions, I think it helps."
Beem on signs that the world of golf is edging closer to a deal to unite the game:
"It's had that sense for a little while now. It almost now feels like there's a light at the end of the tunnel, especially with Jay Monahan and Adam Scott going up to Washington DC meeting with the president who's obviously an avid, avid golfer.
"[Trump has] had LIV events at his golf courses throughout the years and so I think that him just being a fan of the game [he] would like to see the best of all come back and play golf together. Obviously because of the relationship that he's had, and now that he's president once again, I think that there's probably a little bit more than he can do.
"It'll be interesting to see how it all kind of shakes out, but I still think it's going to take a few extra years for everything to assimilate. It's still going to take anywhere from two to four years now. I think last year I said three to five, so two to four, but it's heading in the right direction."
