Mike Weir Ends LIV Golfers’ International Dreams With a Disappointing Presidents Cup Update: ‘Unfortunate Situation’

The upcoming Presidents Cup at The Royal Montreal Golf Club on Sept 26 has sparked some controversy following LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman’s bold statement. He withdrew his application for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation.

In a letter to members, Norman clarified that LIV Golf won’t be pursuing for OWGR points anymore. Meanwhile, Mike Weir, captain of the International team for the Presidents Cup, expressed his thoughts on LIV Golfers being excluded from selection, adding fuel to the fiery discussion.

Mike Weir Shares Insights on Presidents Cup Selection

In a recent conference call, International captain Mike Weir announced that LIV players will not participate in the 2024 Presidents Cup at Royal Montreal Golf Club. Weir, while indicating towards the President Cup’s international team said, “Certainly I want the best players internationally to be playing. Hopefully we come to a point that they are”. Weir expressed disappointment over the situation, adding,  “It’s just an unfortunate situation that we’re in right now.”

Weir remains hopeful for future changes in eligibility rules. He further added, “I’ve been told they’re not eligible. They’re not gonna be eligible but hopefully going forward, maybe in Chicago in 2026, they are.” Weir had already made himself clear by saying, “That was definitely part of the conversation”, to the LIV defectors before they left the PGA circuit. He also pointed out that some players are hesitant to join the Saudi-backed league because they won’t be able to participate in events like the Presidents Cup.

Top golfers such as Hideki Matsuyama, Adam Scott, Tom Kim, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, and Si Woo Kim are expected to enter the competition. But looking at his team, Weir confidently said, “Our team looks great right now”. Talking from a captain’s perspective, he expressed,  “but yeah, I think as a captain, we want the best international players from around the world to be playing against the best U.S. guys.”

With half a year left until the tournament kicks off, Weir is now focused towards building team spirit and planning how to adjust the golf course to benefit the International team. He’s even planning to arrange a team dinner before this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill to foster a strong unity in the team. Just like this year, LIV pros haven’t been selected for the team. This situation wasn’t different, as they faced difficulties making it onto the Ryder Cup team.

LIV pros struggling for Ryder Cup Selection

Brooks Koepka was the sole player from the LIV series to be selected in the U.S team 2023 Ryder Cup. Bryson DeChambeau, another LIV golfer, expressed his concern about whether USA skipper Zach Johnson should have included more LIV players in the U.S. team. DeChambeau expressed his disagreement by saying, “we’re nothing different”. 

Read more: Brooks Koepka vs Bryson DeChambeau the Match: Where to Watch, Date, Venue, Format, Live Stream and More

When asked if the player selection process was fair, Koepka replied, “I don’t choose who plays.” He mentioned that,  “everybody had an opportunity”, pointing out the fact that he’s there because he performed well. Koepka concluded his answer by saying, “Play better. That’s always the answer.”

Nowadays, Pro golfers switching to this Saudi-run event and LIV series getting into controversial matters with tours like PGA, has become a regular part of the golfing world. This surely raises the question, Will the LIV Golf and other tours find a way to work in harmony?

Read more: As Brooks Koepka’s Ryder Cup Dream Gets Dashed Unceremoniously, US Captain Zach Johnson Is Now in Charge of His Fate