Six LIV Golf stars missing from PGA Championship as world ranking woes go on
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Whilst 16 LIV Golf members will be in the field at this week’s PGA Championship, a whole host of stars from the breakaway circuit will be watching the major event from home
The second major of the campaign has arrived with the PGA Championship taking place at Valhalla Golf Club this week, albeit without a number of stars from the LIV Golf setup.
The representation of the breakaway league at this year’s four major championships is limited, with the Saudi-backed series continuing to host events without world ranking points on offer. This week’s event in Kentucky however will feature more LIV members than first thought.
Following the announcement of the field last week, the PGA of America confirmed seven members of the breakaway circuit had received special invitations to compete at Valhalla having failed to qualify for the championship via the usual exemption categories.
Despite the likes of Talor Gooch and Patrick Reed receiving major lifelines, a number of their fellow LIV stars will not feature. From major champions to Ryder Cup stalwarts, here is a look at a group of players from the breakaway league who were not offered a spot.
Sergio Garcia
Despite competing in 24 PGA Championships in a row between 1999 and 2022, Sergio Garcia will miss the event for a second-straight year in 2024. Garcia won his one and only major title at the Masters in 2017, giving him exemption to compete in the U.S. PGA for the following five years.
This exemption then ran out in 2022, and having since made the move to LIV Golf he has unable to forge his way into event due to his fall in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Garcia infamously finished in second behind Tiger Woods on his PGA Championship debut as an 18-year-old in 1999.
Louis Oosthuizen
Another major champion who is not included in this week’s field is Louis Oosthuizen. The former Open winner has re-found his form in recent months, impressing on both the LIV circuit, as well as the DP World, Sunshine and Asian Tours. Oosthuizen was heavily tipped to become one of the special invitees this season, but was a surprise omission from the list. It has since been reported that the South African turned down an invite due to ‘personal circumstances
Mito Pereira
Like Garcia, another man who rose to stardom in the PGA Championship arena was Mito Pereira, but he too will miss the 2024 edition. Pereira almost wrote himself into golf’s history books two years ago, having been one hole away from being crowned U.S. PGA champion in 2022.
Stood on the tee of 72nd hole at Southern Hills, the Chilean had a one-shot lead but went on to find the water hazard before making a double bogey, allowing Justin Thomas to swoop in and win the title via a playoff. This time around he will not get the chance to rectify his previous near-miss, having failed to qualify for the trip to Valhalla.
Ian Poulter
European Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter had been a mainstay in major fields throughout the majority of his playing career, but his move to LIV Golf has put an end to that. Since signing on the dotted line with Greg Norman and co, Poulter has played in just one major championship – the 2022 Open.
Since then, the Englishman has missed all five major events, and that will become six following the start of play in Kentucky on Thursday as he will again miss out.
Lee Westwood
Poulter’s fellow countryman and Majesticks co-captain Lee Westwood will also be absent from Valhalla later this week. Throughout his career, Westwood announced himself as one of the greatest players to never win a major championship, following a number of near-misses.
And with everything passing major, the LIV star’s chances of ever winning on the major stage become slimmer, having also missed the last five flagship events, as well as this week.
Bubba Watson
Bubba Watson will not get the chance to add to his major championship tally at Valhalla, having failed to earn a spot at the second major of the 2024 season. Watson appeared at last month’s Masters having returned to Augusta National as a two-time green jacket winner, but will not get the chance to compete in back-to-back majors, as he currently sits 2,701st in the world rankings.
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