Current major eligibility list for all LIV Golf players – MASHAHER

This week, the PGA of America published its eligibility criteria for the 2024 PGA Championship, meaning the pathways into the remaining men’s majors for this season are all confirmed.

After 13 LIV golfers teed it up at Augusta National (with a best finish of T-6 from Cameron Smith and Bryson DeChambeau), fewer of the league’s members are in line for spots at Valhalla next month, depending on how many players secure invitations based on the world ranking (traditionally, while not a formal criteria, the PGA of America has invited top 100 players not otherwise exempt, and a few LIV players sit on this bubble).

While LIV players remain eligible for majors, no governing bodies to date have offered a direct pathway through performance on LIV, meaning qualification is difficult for those without previously existing exemptions.

To that end, two big streaks are on the line as the PGA approaches:

Patrick Reed has played in 40 straight major championships, but is not yet formally exempt into the PGA. He entered the Masters ranked 112^th in the world, and finished T-12 to jump inside the top 90, upping his chances at an invitation based on his world rank. The last major contested without Reed in the field was the 2013 PGA.

Also of note, two-time major champion Dustin Johnson is entering the final year of his five-year exemption into the PGA through his 2020 Masters win. Johnson will be competing in his 15^th PGA and has had several close calls having finished runner-up twice (2019, 2020) and tied for fifth in 2010 at Whistling Straits after a two-shot penalty on the 72^nd hole cost him a spot in a playoff with Bubba Watson and eventual champion Martin Kaymer.

This post, courtesy the Golf Channel research department, tracks future major eligibility for all 55 players who have made a LIV start in 2024 (the 52 players assigned to a team plus the three individuals who have competed so far). Updates will be made as necessary throughout the spring:

Past major champions with full major access (6)

Bryson DeChambeau (Won 2020 U.S. Open)

Dustin Johnson (Won 2016 U.S. Open; 2020 Masters)

• Masters for life

• U.S. Open through 2026

• The Open through 2025

• PGA through 2024

Brooks Koepka (Won 2017 and 2018 U.S. Open; 2018, 2019 and 2023 PGA Championship)

Phil Mickelson (Won 2004, 2006 and 2010 Masters; 2005 and 2021 PGA Championship; 2013 Open)

Jon Rahm (Won 2021 U.S. Open; 2023 Masters)

Cameron Smith (Won 2022 Open)

Past major champions with some major access (7)

Sergio Garcia (Won 2017 Masters)

Martin Kaymer (Won 2010 PGA Championship; 2014 U.S. Open)

• PGA for life

• U.S. Open through 2024

Louis Oosthuizen (Won 2010 Open)

Patrick Reed (Won 2018 Masters)

Charl Schwartzel (Won 2011 Masters)

Henrik Stenson (Won 2016 Open)

Bubba Watson (Won 2012 and 2014 Masters)

Past major champ whose exemptions have expired (1)

Graeme McDowell (Won 2010 U.S. Open)

Note: McDowell’s last major appearance came in 2020. The champion exemption for the U.S. Open is 10 years – by far the least favorable exemption for a past major champ. The Masters and PGA are “for life,” while The Open allows past champs to play until age 55 (reduced from age 60 starting in 2024 for all future Open champions).

Left for LIV in 2024 with exemptions already sealed (2)

Tyrrell Hatton

• 2024 Masters: Qualified for 2023 Tour Championship; OWGR top 50 at the end of 2023

• 2024 PGA: Finished T-15 in 2023 PGA

• 2024 U.S. Open: Qualified for 2023 Tour Championship

• 2024 Open: Top 30 in 2023 Race to Dubai and FedExCup standings

Adrian Meronk

• 2024 Masters: OWGR top 50 at the end of 2023

• 2024 U.S. Open: Top 2, not otherwise exempt, from 2023 Race to Dubai

• 2024 Open: Top 30 in 2023 Race to Dubai standings

Note: Meronk, hovering around 60^th in the world right now, is likely to gain entry into the PGA Championship as well.

Exemption(s) earned while on LIV through non-OWGR based criteria (3)

Dean Burmester

Joaquin Niemann

• 2024 Masters: Special invitation

• 2024 PGA: Special invitation

• 2024 Open: Won ISPS Handa Australian Open on DP World Tour in Dec. 2023 (part of Open Qualifying Series)

David Puig

Not currently exempt into any majors, but favorable positioning on certain criteria (2)

Lucas Herbert

Andy Ogletree

Not currently exempt into any majors, slim prospects outside of open qualifying (34)

• Abraham Ancer

• Richard Bland

• Laurie Canter

• Paul Casey

• Eugenio Chacarra

• Talor Gooch

• Branden Grace

• Sam Horsfield

• Charles Howell III

• Matt Jones

• Anthony Kim

• Jason Kokrak

• Jinichiro Kozuma

• Anirban Lahiri

• Danny Lee

• Marc Leishman

• Sebastian Munoz

• Kevin Na

• Carlos Ortiz

• Mito Pereira

• Pat Perez

• Thomas Pieters

• Ian Poulter

• Kalle Samooja

• Brendan Steele

• Caleb Surratt

• Hudson Swafford

• Cameron Tringale

• Peter Uihlein

• Harold Varner III

• Kieran Vincent

• Scott Vincent

• Lee Westwood

• Matthew Wolff