There was plenty of uncertainty over both how LIV Golf players would be received by those on rival circuits and how they would perform in the first Major of the year, The Masters at Augusta National. In the end, those concerns were largely unfounded as their appearances went by without controversy and with plenty of on-course success.
While 18 LIV Golf players qualified for that tournament, one fewer will play at Oak Hill Country Club. Those that do, though, will be keen to build on the goodwill fostered in April as they bid to get their hands on the Wanamaker Trophy.
Despite most LIV Golf players slipping down the world rankings in recent months, several qualified because they are in the top 100.
The highest-ranked LIV Golf player who has qualified courtesy of that route is Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean signed for LIV Golf last August, but his world ranking has not suffered too much thanks to solid performances in the three world ranking events he has played since. As World No.26, he comfortably qualifies.
Joaquinn Niemann is one of 15 LIV Golf players in the PGA Championship field
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Patrick Reed is another who has needed to rely on his world ranking to qualify, but like Niemann, the World No.49 gets in comfortably enough despite plunging as low as World No.90 in January. Likewise, Belgian Thomas Pieters is in the field courtesy of his World No.52 ranking.
Talor Gooch has been in the news recently after claiming a rule change by the USGA means he now needs to qualify again for the US Open after originally rubber-stamping his eligibility after reaching last year’s Tour Championship.
Talor Gooch qualified for the tournament thanks to his world ranking
(Image credit: Getty Images)
However, he has no such concerns over his presence at the PGA Championship thanks to his status as current World No.63. A good performance in this tournament should also ensure he reaches the top 60 needed to play at the Los Angeles Country Club event.
World No.64 Harold Varner III is another who has not come close to dropping out of the world’s top 100 yet, despite only playing two world ranking events since signing for the circuit.
Dean Burmester is one of LIV Golf’s newer recruits and the World No.85 is another who qualifies relatively comfortably. Things were far more touch and go for Anirban Lahiri, though, who earned an invite after moving up to World No.95 after finishing runner-up in the International Series Vietnam.
For others, the scramble for a…
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