The United States Golf Association (USGA) made history on Wednesday by becoming the first major governing body to offer LIV golfers direct access to a major championship.
U.S. Open makes headway with LIV Golf exemptions but they come with possible catch
The USGA unveiled a new exemption category for LIV golfers to earn spots at the U.S. Open but it does include a possible catch.
Jack Milko has been playing golf since he was five years old. He has yet to record a hole-in-one, but he did secure an M.A. in Sports Journalism from St. Bonaventure University.
Previously, LIV players could only qualify for majors through various exemptions, such as via Official World Ranking points or by winning a major title over the past five years. But now, for the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, the USGA will grant a full exemption to the top LIV player not otherwise exempt. Yet, that player must also be among the top three players in the LIV Golf Individual Standings on May 19, 2025, the day after the final round of the PGA Championship, hence the possible catch.
“The USGA continues to evaluate the pathways that exist to ensure those playing their best have the opportunity to compete in our national championship,” said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer in a statement.
“Consistent with our historical approach, we continuously evaluate talent levels on professional tours and in amateur events, which has led us to add a new exemption category.”
Let’s use the top three finishers from the 2024 LIV Golf standings and apply this new exemption as an example. Jon Rahm finished first, but because of his victory at the 2021 U.S. Open, he can play in the U.S. Open through 2031. Joaquin Niemann finished second, and because he is not exempt for this year’s U.S. Open, he would have received the nod to join some of the world’s best players at Oakmont in June.
But what if we get to May 19, 2025, and Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau comprise the top three in the LIV Golf standings? Koepka won at Oak Hill in 2023, meaning he can play in all four majors through 2027. DeChambeau won at Pinehurst No. 2 last year, so he will be a fixture at the next 10 U.S. Opens — whoever wins the U.S. Open receives a 10-year exemption. Therefore, under this scenario, no LIV Golf player would earn a full exemption into the U.S. Open because the top three players had already earned their way into the field.
That said, the USGA created another exemption scenario in case something like this occurs. A local exemption will be awarded to the top 10 players in the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Standings as of April 7, 2025, which is the Monday that kicks off the 89th playing of The Masters. These 10 players will receive direct invites to Final Qualifying for the U.S. Open. Last year, 73 out of 937 players across 13 different Final Qualifiers earned their way to Pinehurst No. 2. Before then, 530 out of nearly 10,000 players advanced out of Local Qualifying to Final Qualifying — but with this new exemption, the top 10 LIV players will now avoid this initial step.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
