The PGA of America has announced that players who compete on the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV Golf tour will be eligible to play for the US Ryder Cup team. Moreover, the PGA Championship will also be open to LIV players.
In order to be eligible for the Ryder Cup, golfers must be members of the PGA of America, and the organization has recently added LIV to its roster of “approved tours”, granting those players membership.
The organization stated: “Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the US team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete.”
It is to be noted that last year, Brooks Koepka of LIV was a wildcard selection for the US team in the biennial competition versus Europe, but only due to a grace period that was in force after golf’s separation.
Next September, in New York’s Bethpage Black, the Ryder Cup tournament between the United States and Europe will take place.
On having an agreement
A “framework agreement” for a merger with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which supports LIV, was unveiled by the PGA and Europe’s DP World Tour last year. However, negotiations for men’s golf’s fracture are still going on.
LIV athletes can earn a spot on the European squad, but they must have participated in four tournaments hosted by the organization and maintained their DP World Tour membership. Playing on the LIV tour without a waiver from the European circuit could result in fines; but, if such sanctions are settled, they will still be allowed to compete.
Source: BBC