Bubba Watson Resignation Opens PGA Tour Opportunity For Multiple Players

Back in July, Bubba Watson was confirmed as the next player to join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series. Following his announcement, just a fortnight later, questions soon surrounded his membership on the PGA Tour and what the two-time Masters winner would do with it.

Now, after revealing that he has resigned his PGA Tour membership, Watson has freed up the opportunity for a number of players who are vying for their own PGA Tour card, with multiple players now eligible for the Korn Ferry Tour finals.

Four of the players in question were Anthony Quayle, Chris Naegel, Rick Lamb and Matti Schmid who, just a week ago, appeared to have secured enough FedEx Cup points as non-members to finish higher than the player who finished 200th on the official list.

As a result, the quartet were eligible to play in the three tournament Korn Ferry Tour finals, with players ranked 126 - 200 in the FedEx Cup standings also joining them. However, there was a huge spanner thrown in the works at the Wyndham Championship when, following a four shot victory, Joohyung Kim, who at the time was a non-member, received a full membership and knocked everybody down a spot in the FedEx Cup standings.

Because of the commanding win, it actually eliminated four players from qualification. This is where Watson comes in as the 43-year-old, who was ranked 151st in the FedEx Cup and hadn't played since the PGA Championship in May, had not featured in an LIV Golf tournament or resigned his membership.

If Watson did resign then the list would be updated and the four who originally missed out would then be restored and eligible again. On Wednesday afternoon, Watson revealed he had resigned, meaning Quayle, Naegel, Lamb and Schmid can now feature.

In a statement surrounding the FedEx Cup playoffs and the suspended LIV golfers, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan stated: "Today, the Policy Board determined that eligibility for the 2022-2023 season will be finalized after the Korn Ferry Tour Championship. Accordingly, the FedEx Cup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List will continue to update through the conclusion of the Korn Ferry Tour Championship."

The Korn Ferry Tour finals get underway on Monday with 25 PGA Tour cards up for grabs. If you're wondering how the field is made up then it is the top 75 Points leaders from the Korn Ferry Tour at the end of the Regular Season, with the PGA Tour members who finished 126 - 200th on the FedEx Cup points list following the Wyndham Championship joining them.