As LIV Golf prepares for its fourth season debut, exciting news has come its way. The U.S. Open has taken a groundbreaking step by offering a direct pathway for LIV Golf players to enter the tournament field.
This move by the U.S. Open, coupled with a new broadcast agreement that will showcase LIV tournaments on broadcast television, adds further credibility and reach to the rebellious tour. This tour boasts many of the golf world’s most prominent and charismatic stars. However, LIV players currently cannot earn Official World Golf Ranking points in their tournaments. Since OWGR points play a crucial role in determining eligibility for majors, LIV players who have not yet secured major wins are gradually finding themselves marginalized as their world rankings decline.
The USGA recently announced that a player ranking in the top three of the 2025 LIV standings as of May 19 will receive an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, provided they are not already exempt through other means. Last year’s top three players were Jon Rahm, who was already exempt due to a previous U.S. Open victory, Joaquin Niemann, and Sergio Garcia. Additionally, the top 10 players in LIV’s standings as of April 7 will skip local qualifying and proceed directly to final qualifying if they are not already exempt.
The significance of the U.S. Open’s decision cannot be overstated, as the absence of a clear path to the majors has been a major hindrance for LIV Golf. Players like Niemann, without existing major exemptions, have been stuck in a precarious position—performing well enough to compete in majors but lacking the opportunity to do so. While LIV players receive substantial compensation through various means, including hefty paychecks, this initiative is a step towards ensuring that the top players in golf continue to come together.
LIV Golf’s fourth season will kick off at Riyadh Golf Club in Saudi Arabia, with the tournament taking place at night local time, translating to daytime viewing in the United States. This season will see the debut of promising young player Tom McKibbin from Northern Ireland. Additionally, there will be a format change where all four of a player’s scores will contribute to the team’s total each day, intensifying the pressure on every player to deliver consistently.
Fox Sports will be airing LIV Golf events this year, with initial tournaments scheduled to be broadcasted on FS1 or FS2. The LIV Golf tournament at Trump Doral in early April will mark the beginning of several tournaments being showcased on Fox’s main broadcast channel.