LIV Golfer To Benefit After Open Championship Updates Exemption Categories
The R&A has issued a number of alterations to its exemption categories ahead of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon - with LIV Golf's Andy Ogletree now set to make the field
The R&A has updated a number of its exemption categories ahead of the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon this summer, including its past champion category and new ways to qualify.
Currently, players can qualify for golf's oldest Major in one of four ways - via one of many exemptions, through local qualifying, as one of the top-50 golfers in the Official World Golf Ranking, or via the Open Qualifying Series (OQS) which takes place on every continent throughout the world in the months prior to the event.
Local qualifying is not finalized until early July - days before the Open begins - while it is a similar situation in terms of the OWGR.
Meanwhile, nine players have already qualified for the final men's Major of the year through the Open Qualifying Series:
- Dean Burmester, Darren Fichardt, Dan Bradbury (Joburg Open)
- Joaquin Niemann, Rikuya Hoshino, Adam Scott (Australian Open)
- David Puig, Jeunghun Wang, and Denwit Boriboonsub (Malaysian Open)
In terms of exemption categories, there are several - including past champions, Major winners from the last five years, medical, and holders of selected amateur titles.
But, in March 2024, the R&A updated and added to said categories, giving LIV golfers - many of whom had complained about effectively being excluded from the Majors - a slightly better chance of pegging it up in the biggest tournaments.
A freshly-introduced dispensation will now be offered to players competing on the Asian Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, the PGA Tour of Australasia and the Sunshine Tour, giving them the opportunity to qualify through the International Federation Ranking list. Many LIV players also compete on the Asian Tour to earn world ranking points, including in Macau next week where over 20 are in the field.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
The leading five golfers as of the closing date of entries will be awarded places in The Open. Including the 2023 Order of Merit champion on each tour, Keita Nakajima, LIV Golf's Andy Ogletree, David Micheluzzi, and Ockie Strydom appear to have secured their respective tee times at Royal Troon.
The alteration is likely to be well received by LIV players, especially, after the 54-hole circuit's struggles to secure world-ranking points for its own tour through the OWGR.
As a result, several of its players have taken to competing on the Asian Tour in International Series tournaments - as a result of a strategic alliance involving LIV - in order to try and boost themselves up the ranking table.
Other changes made by the R&A include reducing the age that Open Champions can continue to compete from 60 down to 55 - this is effective from 2024 so past Open winners can still play until 60 but this year's champion will only be exempt until the age of 55.
Meanwhile, an exemption for the Africa Amateur Champion has also been added. It will be taken up this year by Altin van der Merwe after his victory in the inaugural championship at Leopard Creek last month.
And a medical exemption is being granted to Michael Hendry after he was unable to take his place in The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool last year due to serious illness.
Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. An improving golfer who still classes himself as ‘one of the worst players on the Golf Monthly team’, Jonny enjoys playing as much as he can and is hoping to reach his Handicap goal of 18 at some stage. He attended both the 150th and 151st Opens and is keen to make it an annual pilgrimage.
-
King Charles III Becomes Patron Of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club Of St Andrews
The monarch has followed his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in accepting patronage of the Club
By Mike Hall Published
-
‘It Does Become A Lonely Place’ – MacIntyre On Stark Difference Between PGA Tour And Europe
The Scot admits settling into life on the PGA Tour has been tough in recent months
By Mike Hall Published
-
LIV Golf Mid-Season Transfer Window: Everything You Need To Know
LIV Golf's first-ever mid-season transfer window is officially open - here's everything you need to know about it
By Mike Hall Published
-
Talor Gooch One Of Two LIV Golfers Given Special Invite To PGA Championship
The 2023 individual champion will tee it up alongside David Puig at the Major, two months after Joaquin Niemann confirmed he would also appear after receiving a special invite
By Mike Hall Published
-
LIV Golf Appoints Pepsi Senior Executive As Chief Marketing Officer
Former PepsiCo senior executive Adam Harter has been appointed LIV Golf’s new Chief Marketing Officer
By Mike Hall Published
-
Greg Norman Insists LIV Golf Will Still Be In Operation After Prospective PGA Tour Deal And 'Well Past' Death Of 'Young' Yasir Al-Rumayyan
The LIV Golf CEO was discussing the circuit's future amid a potential deal between its backers - the Saudi PIF - and the PGA Tour, in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
5 Talking Points You Might Have Missed From The Final Round Of LIV Golf Singapore
Brooks Koepka just about held off Cameron Smith and Marc Leishman to land his fourth LIV Golf Individual title - but what else happened on Sunday at Sentosa Golf Club?...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Brooks Koepka Warms Up For PGA Championship Defence By Sealing LIV Golf Singapore Victory
The American shot a final-round 68 at Sentosa Golf Club to win his fourth individual LIV Golf title
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
LIV Golf Announces Rules For Upcoming Mid-Season Transfer Window
LIV Golf has finally announced the rules for the mid-season transfer window, which will open following the event in Singapore
By Ben Fleming Published
-
LIV Golfers 'Good Enough To Get In' Are Welcome At US Open 'With Open Arms'
USGA boss Mike Whan will welcome LIV Golf players with open arms into the US Open - if they are good enough to qualify
By Paul Higham Published