22 October 2023 , 20:56
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LIV Golf have entered talks with the R&A over earning qualification spots for next year's Open Championship, after their latest world ranking blow.
Earlier this month LIV's bid for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status was thwarted, after the ranking system once again rejected the breakaway league's application for ranking points. Their failure to acquire OWGR points has seen LIV players tumble down the rankings over the past year, restricting their chances of competing in golf's four majors.
As things stand just five players in Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson are guaranteed spots at all four major events in 2024 thanks to their previous victories.
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In a bid to increase their representation at next year's Open though, the breakaway league have approached the R&A and asked for 12 qualifying spots according to the Daily Telegraph. The report claims that whilst the Saudi-backed series have appealed for 12 places, four exemption spots appear more likely.
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LIV chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan is no stranger to the R&A, having been invited as a guest at this year's Open at Royal Liverpool in June. He also played alongside CEO Martin Slumbers at the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews earlier this month.
LIV's calls for 12 Open spots comes less than two weeks after the one of its star players in Bryson DeChambeau made the exact same demand whilst discussing the rebel's league's world ranking rejection at its regular season finale in Jeddah.
LIV Golf chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan has reached out to the R&A (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)"I think at this point in time now that they’re not allowing it, we would love to find another way to be integrated into the major championship system since I think we have some of the best players in the world,” DeChambeau said. "Top 12 on the list, the money list, at the end of the year or the points list at the end of the year, would be I think obvious for the major championships to host the best players in the world at those four events each year.”
One of LIV's biggest absentees from next your's four flagship championships is set to be 2023 individual champion Taylor Gooch. The American has enjoyed the best campaign of his career this year, winning three times on the breakaway circuit in Adelaide, Singapore and Andalucia.
A second-place finish in Jeddah last week then ensured he came away with a £15 million bonus after topping the season-long standings. Despite lining his pockets, Gooch's efforts on the Saudi-funded series have had no baring on his place on the world rankings, and will mean he is not eligible for any of the Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship and The Open.