Masters unlikely to change qualifying criteria for LIV golfers

LIV Golf League gamers who have been hoping the key championships would change standards to make it simpler for them to qualify for these fields most likely aren’t going to get their want on the subject of the Masters.

Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership chairman Fred Ridley instructed reporters in Australia on Thursday that he did not anticipate the membership making any modifications to its standards for the 2024 Masters, which shall be performed April 11-14.

“As you recall final 12 months, there was some hypothesis as as to whether or not we might invite LIV golfers, and we stayed true to our qualification standards and we invited everybody who was eligible,” Ridley stated forward of this weekend’s Asia-Pacific Beginner Championship at Royal Melbourne Golf Membership.

“And so, whereas we don’t right now anticipate making any modifications in 2024, you understand, we do all the time take a look at them and we are going to proceed to try this. I’d simply reply by saying that, you understand, that our {qualifications} are very a lot dynamic, and we regulate to what we really feel is the very best pursuits of the match representing the very best gamers on this planet, so we all the time take a look at that.”

This previous April, there have been 18 LIV Golf League gamers within the Masters subject, together with previous champions Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Sergio Garcia and Bubba Watson, who’ve lifetime exemptions to play within the first main of the season.

LIV Golf’s Brooks Koepka and Mickelson tied for second at 8 beneath, 4 photographs behind winner Jon Rahm.

Earlier than final week’s LIV Golf League crew championship, Mickelson stated he hoped the 4 majors would create new pathways for the tour’s members to compete within the sport’s greatest tournaments.

Mickelson and different LIV Golf members have voiced their issues after the Official World Golf Rating notified the breakaway circuit that the rating’s governing board had voted unanimously not to recognize LIV Golf for world ranking points.

“I believe that the majors want to guard their product, and there is most likely different ways in which they will do this by creating slots,” Mickelson stated. “In the event that they wish to be sure they’ve the very best fields in golf, they might create automobiles for gamers on LIV to play in majors the place they do not have to make use of the OWGR, which might undermine the TV contract and income of the PGA Tour in the event that they gave factors to LIV.”

Together with the previous champions, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau and Koepka are the one LIV Golf gamers at the moment eligible for the 2024 Masters subject.

Talor Gooch, who gained LIV Golf’s particular person season-long factors title and gained 3 times this previous season, is ranked No. 214 on this planet as a result of he is not receiving world-ranking factors for LIV Golf occasions. Because it stands now, Gooch is not eligible to play in any main in 2024.

“You recognize, they made selections based mostly on what they thought was in the very best pursuits of their golf careers, and we actually respect that,” Ridley stated. “We do have in our invitation standards, it does say that we reserve the fitting to ask particular exemptions to worldwide gamers, though we did concern a particular exemption to an newbie final 12 months. So we’re all the time taking a look at that.

“However these selections have been made and we’ll need to do what’s in the very best pursuits of the Masters and we’ll proceed to try this.”

The Masters introduced in April that it might invite the NCAA particular person champion and winners of occasions from the PGA Tour’s fall schedule that award a full allotment of factors in 2024. It additionally tweaked the language of an exemption for PGA Tour members who qualify for the season-ending Tour Championship.

In the meantime, R&A CEO Martin Slumbers stated The Open was within the means of reviewing its exemptions for the 2024 match, which can happen July 18-21 at Royal Troon Golf Membership in Scotland. The exemptions and standards shall be launched early subsequent 12 months, he stated.

Slumbers added that The Open would stay “open to all people, however you earn your house within the subject by exemptions, and that will not change.”

“As I’ve said quite a few instances, our situations are designed in a option to create pathways for the easiest gamers on this planet to compete for the Open Championship subsequent 12 months at Royal Troon,” Slumbers stated. “I’d say, although, there was some hypothesis within the media lately on the subject that you just’re elevating, and I’d say that it’s fully off the mark. I wish to make it very clear that exemptions for The Open, we don’t focus on them with anybody, and nor would we at any time limit.”

Ridley additionally confirmed that LPGA legend Annika Sorenstam, a 10-time main championship winner, is a new member at Augusta National Golf Club. Girls weren’t allowed to change into members of the membership till 2012.

“I’m very enthusiastic about Annika,” Ridley stated. “She is a pleasant individual. As you understand, we’ve quite a few ladies members and have for fairly just a few years. I believe it made us a greater membership, and they’re an integral a part of our tradition.”