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via Reuters
Golf – LIV Golf Mayakoba – El Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Course, Playa del Carmen, Mexico – February 1, 2024 Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer and David Puig during the press conference REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
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via Reuters
Golf – LIV Golf Mayakoba – El Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Course, Playa del Carmen, Mexico – February 1, 2024 Fireballs GC’s Abraham Ancer and David Puig during the press conference REUTERS/Raquel Cunha
David Puig is gaining traction in the golf world! And, rightfully so! The 22-year-old had secured his second victory on the Asian Tour in four months by winning the IRS Prima Malaysian Open. With this win, he has registered himself as eligible for the 2024 Open Championship in July. This feat is more surprising given that Puig’s primary league is LIV Golf!
While the Open is months away, the 22-year-old is also knocking at the door of the Masters Tournament that is to be held in April. But is he eligible to play at one of the grandest stages that golf has to offer?
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More wins on the Asian Tour will let David Puig play in the Masters
Getting into the Masters is a challenge on its own. Unlike other majors, there are no alternates or qualifying tournaments for this one. Furthermore, it has the smallest field of all majors, with only 85–100 players competing in the Augusta National. So this makes cracking into this event a daunting task for Puig.
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Looking at the terms for qualifying for a Masters invitation, many don’t work in the favor of the 22-year-old. This is because many invites are based on previous performances at PGA Tour events. However, one term works in his favor: The top 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking, the week before the Augusta showdown.
Currently, David Puig is at the 245th OWGR rank. With his win, he is expected to enter the top 150 in the world. So for now, he is not qualified to play at the Augusta Nationals. But all hope is not lost, looking at his performance on the Asian Tour. If he wins more events on the Asian Tour, he can definitely attain the top 50 mark and tee it up in Georgia. In the meantime, the 22-year-old is on cloud nine.
Puig is elated to compete in the Open Championship
The IRS Prima Malaysian Open was part of the Open Qualifying Series. With his win, David Puig qualified to play at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. Talking about his win, he said, “It feels great—a weird feeling for sure.”
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“I mean, 18 birdies, no bogeys, in 36 holes was unbelievable. And getting that open spot is super cool; I came here for that,” Puig said. While his dream to play in the Open is secured, he still has a long way to go in other major events. He currently plays for Sergio Garcia‘s Fireballs GC.
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Unfortunately for him, the breakaway league is not able to offer OWGR points to its players. But with the ongoing merger talks between the PIF and the PGA Tour, David Puig has a chance to play in more major tournaments if the talks succeed. What are your thoughts on the LIV Golf player qualifying for a major tournament? Let us know in the comments section below.
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