‘Many Fluid Factors Involved’: U.S. Ryder Team Captain Zach Johnson Dishes Out a Huge Update About LIV’s Eligibility For the Ryder Cup

LIV Golf rebels can breathe a sigh of relief, all thanks to a new update from U.S. Ryder Cup team captain Zach Johnson. Johnson’s latest revelation has given brand-new hope to the LIV golfers, whose defection to the Saudi-backed league caused quite an uproar last year.

Many players from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly known as the European Tour) joined the LIV Golf League in 2022. There has been no confirmation about LIV players’ chances to represent the European team. However, ex-PGA golfers may still have hope, including Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and Bryson Dechambeau.

U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson makes major revelation about LIV’s eligibility

Two-time major winner Zach Johnson is set to captain the U.S. Ryder Cup team this year. The team will consist of six players who qualify through a points system and six players the team captain picks. Currently, the PGA Tour golfers occupying the top six positions in the points standings are (in order): Scottie Scheffler, Max Homa, Cameron Young, Jordan Spieth, Sam Burns, and Patrick Cantlay.

With five months left for the coveted event, Johnson has given a new update regarding the eligibility of LIV golfers. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain, currently competing at the Zurich Classic, shared that LIV golfers may still be able to participate in the Ryder Cup this year. “No decisions have been made,” Johnson told reporters on Wednesday.

“There’s still a lot of time left in that regard, and so many fluid factors involved. As far as personally making decisions, no,” shared the 47-year-old. This is great news for the likes of Koepka, Mickelson, and Reed, who had great outings at the Masters this year.

Also Read: ‘Different Than the PGA Tour’: Despite Their Strategic Alliance, Keith Pelly Contradicts Jay Monahan as He Plans to Go Easy on the LIV Defectors

Meanwhile, whether LIV golfers will be allowed to appear for the European team is unclear. Earlier this month, DP World Tour chief Keith Pelley won an arbitration dispute against LIV Golf. After his victory, Pelley shared that LIV players will have difficulty qualifying for the European team.

Can LIV Golf players participate in the European team?

Earlier this month, Sports Resolution UK handed DP World Tour its victory against twelve golfers who committed “serious breaches” of code by playing in LIV Golf events without permission. DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley welcomed the decision and also shed light on the eligibility criteria of golfers who defected to LIV.

Shelley confirmed that DP World Tour defectors will face difficulty qualifying for the European Ryder Cup Team. He further shared that three LIV golfers, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, and Martin Kramer, can never be Ryder Cup captains. The golfers failed to compete at the minimum number of events on the Tour last year.

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Do you think LIV golfers will be able to compete at the Ryder Cup this year? Let us know in the comments below!