PGA of America makes decision on LIV golfers in Ryder Cup

The PGA of America has confirmed that golfers who play on the LIV Golf League WILL be eligible to play in the Ryder Cup.

In a statement, the organisation, which presides over the match for the United States, said the decision had been made to ensure that the “US Ryder Cup team continue to have access to the best American players.”

The decision is effective immediately, meaning that LIV-based American golfers – such as Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka – will be permitted to feature in next year’s match at Bethpage, assuming they qualify or are picked by captain Keegan Bradley.

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LIV golfers will also be allowed to compete in the PGA Championship, the second men’s major of the year.

The news comes amid reports that Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fun which effectively bankrolls LIV, was at PGA of American headquarters this week.

The Telegraph reported yesterday that LIV golfers’ participation in next year’s match was in jeopardy after a so-called ‘grace period’ concerning money owed to the PGA Tour – which enabled Zach Johnson to pick Koepka for last year’s match in Rome – had expired.

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US captain Bradley had previously indicated a willingness to welcome LIV players onto his side.

“I’m going to have the best 12 players at Bethpage so the PGA of America need to figure that out, if that’s their problem,” he said.

“I know you have to be a PGA member to play in the Ryder Cup. That’s the only stipulation. So we’ll make sure if some of those guys that we think might make the team, we’ll make sure that they are a member.”

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor