The U.S. Open has made history by becoming the first major tournament to create a clear pathway for participants from LIV Golf. This was officially announced on Wednesday with the introduction of a new exemption category that allows for one spot to be awarded to the top player among the leading three players in LIV Golf’s standings as of May 19 this year.
In future tournaments, beginning with the 2026 U.S. Open, the U.S. Golf Association (USGA) will select the highest-ranked player from the final 2025 individual standings, along with the top player from the May 18, 2026 standings. It’s important to note that this exemption will only be granted to the leading player who isn’t already exempt and ranks within the top three of the standings.
While other major tournaments have not barred LIV Golf players, their approach has varied. For instance, the Masters has offered invitations to Joaquin Niemann for the past two years, a decision driven by his performance on an international level. Similarly, the PGA Championship has welcomed LIV players contingent upon their world rankings and has given special invitations to players like Talor Gooch, who had a successful run in LIV events last year. However, the PGA of America does not have specific criteria for these invitations and classifies LIV players alongside others as “special invitations,” with Niemann and Sergio Garcia among those already invited this year.
For the upcoming U.S. Open, the exemption will apply to “the top player who is not otherwise exempt and in the top three” of the LIV individual standings as of May 19. If the top three players are already exempt, that may result in no new exemption being granted. Currently, prominent LIV players such as Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Richard Bland, Phil Mickelson, and Cameron Smith are already eligible.
Scott O’Neil, the new CEO of LIV Golf, expressed gratitude towards the USGA for establishing this new exemption, praising Mike Whan for his efforts in promoting the game of golf. O’Neil emphasized the desire of golf enthusiasts worldwide to witness top players compete in significant tournaments, and reaffirmed LIV Golf’s commitment to collaborate with governing bodies to enhance the sport’s profile globally.
The U.S. Open will take place from June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club, located in the suburbs of Pittsburgh. John Bodenhamer, who is the chief championships officer at the USGA, noted that they continuously evaluate opportunities to ensure that the best-performing players can compete in their national championship. He indicated that the addition of this exemption category aligns with their historical practices of assessing talent in professional and amateur golf circuits.
Furthermore, starting next year, the USGA will provide exemptions from the initial stage of 18-hole qualifying rounds to the top 10 players on the LIV points list as of April 7, 2026, following the completion of five LIV events.
As LIV Golf kicks off its fourth season on Thursday at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia, it is doing so with its inaugural network partnership through Fox Sports. Additionally, the tournament lineup will include events in various locations such as Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Miami, and South Korea before the U.S. Open exemption deadline.
While LIV players have previously had to go through the qualifying process to compete in the U.S. Open, this new exemption path could potentially offer a significant advantage, particularly for emerging talent lacking status on established tours. Notable young players who have joined LIV Golf this year include Tom McKibbin from Northern Ireland, Frederik Kjettrup from Denmark, Luis Masaveu from Spain, and Yubin Jang from South Korea.
