The qualification process for the 2027 Open Championship at St. Andrews, Scotland, was released on Tuesday with the exemption for LIV Golf still under review.
Last year, the Open Championship reserved a spot for the highest-ranked player on the LIV Golf Order of Merit who was not already qualified for the tournament. It went to Joaquin Niemann.
While not electing to completely eliminate the option, the R&A, which decides Open Championship exemptions, said it will delay its decision on the additional LIV spot.
“The exemption for the LIV Golf Order of Merit remains under review until the 2027 LIV Golf schedule is confirmed,” the Open Championship noted in a release on official 2027 tournament exemptions.
The decision suggests that the tournament will wait and see if LIV Golf even operates next year before reserving an additional spot for the league.
LIV Golf filed for bankruptcy earlier this month noting liabilities of as much as $1 billion. Top players like Jon Rahm of Spain, along with Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson, each are owed more than $5 million, according to bankruptcy filings.
LIV Golf still is pursuing a 2027 season that would include 10 events, with five of those carrying a purse of up to $9.5 million each. LIV Golf 2.0 is still trying to secure funding to make the 2027 season happen.
As for Open Championship qualifying, the R&A announced a series that would include 19 qualifying events in 15 different countries played in conjunction with various golf tours.
Exemptions also are offered to top-ranked golfers around the world, as well as winners of designated tournaments, in addition to former major tournament champions.
–Field Level Media
