The R&A has announced that any player who is exempt for the 150th Open Championship in St Andrews next month “will be able to compete”, meaning members of the controversial LIV Golf Invitational Series won’t be banned from teeing it up in golf’s oldest championship.
As expected, the decision mirrors the one taken by the USGA ahead of last week’s US Open, with R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers releasing a brief statement confirming the news.
“The Open is golf’s original championship and since it was first played in 1860, openness has been fundamental to its ethos and unique appeal,” said Slumbers.
“Players who are exempt or have earned a place through qualifying for The 150th Open in accordance with the entry terms and conditions will be able to compete in the Championship at St Andrews.
“We are focused on staging a world class championship in July and celebrating this truly historic occasion for golf. We will invest the proceeds of The Open, as we always do, for the benefit of golf which reflects our purpose to ensure that the sport is thriving 50 years from now.”
The Saudi-backed breakaway circuit continues to make headlines amid accusations that it’s being used to sportswash Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. However, that hasn’t stopped big-name players from signing up.
The first LIV Golf Invitational at the Centurion Club in Hemel Hempstead featured the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Lee Westwood, and the roster has been further bolstered by the additions of Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and Brooks Koepka.
In response to the threat, the PGA Tour has vowed to suspend all current and future LIV Golf players, announcing the news moments after the first shots were struck at the inaugural LIV Golf event.
Two past Open champions in the form of Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen have jumped ship to the new Greg Norman-fronted series, while a number of other LIV stars are also exempt for the final men’s Major of 2022.
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