‘Asterisk Majors’ - LIV Golf Commentator Says ‘Political Stronghold Over The World Rankings’ Must Come To An End If Best Fields Are To Compete Once Again

LIV Golf analyst Jerry Foltz believes the four men's Major championships are "already on the verge" of having a little metaphorical asterisk next to them as the strongest possible fields are not currently being lined up due to the sport's fractured nature.

Those who crossed over to LIV have taken a hit in their Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) spot as a result of the measuring body not recognizing the Saudi-backed circuit on its list of eligible tours.

Players like Joaquin Niemann have been affected the most, with the Chilean consistently playing excellent golf since his move in August 2022 but failing to secure spots in three of the four biggest events during 2024 as a result of his drop in the OWGR.

He played all four Majors in 2023, securing a T16 at the Masters and T32 in the US Open but missing the cut in the Open Championship and PGA Championship, respectively.

The 25-year-old has been a stand-out player in an increasingly impressive LIV field, though, and saw off new signing Jon Rahm and 2017 Masters winner, Sergio Garcia to claim the LIV Golf Mayakoba title for Torque GC.

Immediately after the round when speaking to reporter Dom Boulet, Niemann responded to questions about his most recent achievement by consistently bringing the conversation back to what he feels is an injustice involving the Majors.

Boulet said: "Joaquin, you're one of the best players in the world, we expected you to win earlier..."

Niemann: "But I'm not in the Majors."

Boulet: "Maybe you will be. But to win your first event, going head to head with Jon Rahm and beating your mentor, Sergio Garcia in a playoff - how special is this?"

Niemann: "It's freaking awesome. I've been seeing this for the last couple of weeks, and I saw myself on the practice ground putting that last putter to win. It's freaking awesome."

Boulet: "You want to play the Majors - Are you hoping that this win gets the attention of the relevant bodies?"

Niemann: "I hope so, I'm just ready."

Boulet: "Have you set new goals for the rest of the season?"

Niemann: "I want to win Majors, but I've got to get in first!"

In the post-action analysis with host Arlo White, Foltz, and David Feherty, Foltz continued the argument for the Chilean to be teeing it up at Augusta come April at the least.

On Niemann, Foltz said: "He felt like he had a point to prove this week. He is one of the best players in the world, there's not a single person who laces up their golf shoes for a living who doesn't believe he is one of the best players in the world.

"The rankings that don't answer to the organizing bodies that control the political bargaining chip that is the OWGR - they all would have him in the Major championships through legitimate rankings.

"Now, the win at the Australian Open gets him into the Open Championship, but that'd be the only one, and it's really a shame.

"I think the Majors are really close to - if not already on the verge of - becoming asterisk Majors, in my opinion. If they don't do what their institutions have always guaranteed - and that is try to gather the greatest players in the world to compete for the most coveted titles - then I think as long as this political stronghold over the world rankings continues to be allowed to be the barometer by which players are entered into the Majors, I think they become a little bit lessened to the historical significance of those championships.

"But it's not too late. All you'd have to do is create a different category with a fair ranking system and add it to the current system."

Feherty chipped in towards the end of Foltz's monologue to promise fans that Niemann "will be in The Masters" as the tournament is an invitational - an avenue which could rescue the hopes of a few other LIV players as well.

Niemann and his fellow LIV competitors can also qualify for the Open Championship and the US Open outright, should they need to, while some may need to hope for an invite to play at the PGA Championship or The Masters.