U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau or any other American playing for LIV Golf is eligible for the Ryder Cup because the Saudi-funded tour is now included among nine tours that get PGA of America membership.
Kerry Haigh, the interim CEO of the PGA of America, said Thursday their participation in the 2025 matches or beyond was never seriously in doubt. The organization wanted clarity after recent stories speculating on players' eligibility.
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The PGA of America has 25 membership classes, and A-3 membership is for tour professionals around the world.
“Part of the clean-up was those (LIV) events didn't count toward A-3 membership,” Haigh said. “As we have with nine other tours, the PGA of America gives credit toward playing the tournaments."
He said without those credits, players would need to take part in such things as educational activities that no other tour players are required to do. The PGA of America simply added LIV to its list of tours whose players can have A-3 membership.
They still have to pay annual dues, which Haigh said was $120 a year.
The PGA of America statement said, “To ensure the PGA Championship will continue to deliver the strongest field in golf and that the U.S. Ryder Cup team will continue to have access to the best American players, the PGA of America board has determined that LIV Golf players will be eligible for both.”
“Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the U.S. team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete.”
The PGA Championship has invited LIV players the last two years, and Brooks Koepka was a captain's pick for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy. He won the PGA Championship that year and narrowly missed out on qualifying.
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley was expecting to have access to American players of any tour.
"I'm going to have the best 12 players, so the PGA of America ... they need to figure that out, if that’s their problem,” Bradley said last month. “I know you have to be a PGA member to play in the Ryder Cup. That’s the only stipulation that you need. So we’ll make sure if some of those guys that we think might make the team, we’ll make sure that they are a member.”
The European tour requires players to keep membership to be Ryder Cup eligible. Jon Rahm is playing the next three weeks on the European tour while he appeals his sanctions for playing for LIV Golf.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf