LIV Golf players “technically” eligible to compete in US’s Ryder Cup, says Zach Johnson

• Zach Johnson said LIV Golf players are technically eligible for Ryder Cup.
• LIV Golfers with permanent suspensions from the PGA and DP World Tour can reapply.
• Rory McIlroy supports Brooks Koepka to make the US team.

LIV Golf players, according to Zach Johnson, are “technically” qualified to compete for the United States in the Ryder Cup.

Despite recent improvements in cooperation between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LIV Golf, Saudi players have only been able to accumulate qualification points at the major tournaments.

From the end of the 2023 season, LIV golfers who were given permanent suspensions by the PGA and DP World Tour will be able to reapply for membership.

From September 29 to October 1 in Rome, the British sports channel will broadcast live coverage of the 2023 Ryder Cup.

“What’s transpiring in professional golf from a competitive level, competition level, is PGA Tour; right?” Johnson said.

“It’s not PGA of America. So the individuals that are Americans that play on other tours that are not the PGA Tour, they could play, I mean, technically the Latin Tour or the Asian Tour or wherever.

“More times than not they’re going to be members of the PGA of America for a number of reasons. Our liability insurance is number one and some other benefits.”

Johnson made it obvious that there was nothing stopping LIV Golf members from earning a position on Team USA, even though he didn’t explicitly say they were welcome.

“These guys that left the PGA Tour that had status and left to play on that other tour, the LIV Tour, they’re still members of the PGA of America, so they are still able to garner points,” Johnson said. “They’re able to play in the PGA Championship as a result because that’s what the PGA of America runs. Obviously, technically, they can still be a part of Team USA.”

Rory McIlroy is supporting Brooks Koepka, who is now rated 12th on the Official World Golf Ranking and won the PGA Championship in 2023 after tying for second at the Masters, to make the US team.

When it comes to selection, Johnson has acknowledged that Koepka is a guy he’s keeping an eye on.

“Brooks is third on the list. The top six earn their berth after the BMW Championship in mid-August in Chicago. So after that Sunday the top six are solidified, and then we make our six picks,” said Johnson. The next week is the Tour Championship. The Tuesday after the Tour Championship is when I make the picks.

“We’ll formulate 12 by then, but he has worked his way to second after the PGA Championship because of how well he played at the Masters and at the PGA Championship, the majors kind of last year too, but they were smaller in points, he has a really good chance of making the team, earning his way on the team, which is extremely impressive.”

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