Why Are LIV Golfer’s Not a Part of 2024 Presidents Cup? All You Need to Know About the Latest Setback

The inception of LIV Golf has led to the bringing about of a lot of changes in the sporting world. Although the Saudi-backed league boasts an immense prize pool and better payouts, the players on the circuit have faced a lot of disadvantages at the same time such as not being able to play in the Ryder Cup and the majors. Brooks Kopeka was the only LIV Golfer this year who played in Rome as a captain’s pick.

Another biennial event is coming up the next year, none other than the prestigious Presidents Cup. And, surprisingly, the players in the PIF-funded league have met a roadblock of sorts with regard to playing in the same. The curiosity naturally arises as to why such a situation has taken place, leading to a setback no less!

Why are LIV golfers ineligible for the Presidents Cup?

The Presidents Cup has been a part of the game of golf for almost three decades now. The biennial event has been successful in pitting the American team against golfers from around the world except Europe. However, the inception of LIV Golf led to a lot of players not being able to play on the US team in the year 2022. And, unfortunately, a similar situation is set to follow in the next edition as well.

As per the new qualifying criteria set forth by the teams, the stars on the Middle Eastern circuit are not eligible to play in the tournament. The two dozen golfers taking part in the biennial event must be “eligible to compete in PGA Tour-sanctioned events in the 2024 season.”

This would include the big names in the league like Bryson Dechambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Cam Smith among others since they have been “indefinitely banned from the PGA Tour.” Although Koepka was able to play in the Ryder Cup owing to Zach Johnson’s wild card pick, chances are close to nil for the golfer in the upcoming tournament owing to the new regulations.

The LIV golfers have been hit with unexpected setbacks, one after another. A little while back, they were even denied the OWGR points, making participation in traditional competitions much more difficult, including the Presidents Cup.

Eligibility criteria for the two teams

The OWGR system issued a letter, a little while back, to the directors of LIV Golf mentioning how the system would not award points to the players owing to the difference in format between the top tournaments and the Saudi-backed circuit.

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Which means LIV Golfers will have to keep putting in a lot more effort to find a place in competitions like the Ryder Cup. One hopes things will change miraculously for them in the coming months. Miracles do happen in golf. The merger is a big example.

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