Question of the week [October 30 – November 5]: If the goal of the men's majors is to have the world's best players, then shouldn't the qualification standards for LIV players be reviewed — and possibly changed?
The answer to this never ending question is a resounding no.
LIV golf is not the same type of golf as tour golf. Yes, they are still playing professional golf, but not under the same competitive standards. Good players, but not challenged to achieve Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points against the same competition. The LIV players knowingly made a choice and should live with it. It is the same old, "I want what is right for me and only me." They cry about fairness, but don’t have a concern for the unfairness to others. They’ll have to wait to see if the PGA Tour, other world tours and LIV can come to a legally acceptable agreement before being considered for the majors based on OWGR points — or even exemptions.
Gary Link
Maple Grove, Minnesota
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Anyone who participates and joins LIV cannot be considered one of the best players in the world because they do not compete at the highest level of the game. They play exhibitions, not true, competitive championship golf.
Larry Guli
Waxhaw, North Carolina
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Absolutely not.
James Clinton
Houston, Texas
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No LIV players should not be included. They play a completely different game than the rest of golf
Don Thompson
Traverse City. Michigan
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Many of the majors already allow LIV players, including past champions and top finishers in prior majors. But how do you equitably rank players who compete for three rounds over a maximum of 14 tournaments against players who compete for four rounds in 50% more tournaments?
Steve Moore
Birmingham, Alabama
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If the ultimate examination of the best players is the four majors, then there must be an avenue for the world’s best players to qualify for the event.
Obviously, there are smarter people out there who can handle the details, but it should be fairly simple for any LIV player, for example. Use the basic format for the U.S. Open qualifying process and go from there. Even the Masters, as the only invitational major, could adopt the measure.
Anything short of allowing the world’s best players to compete due to the PGA Tour’s protection of its business model threatens the World Golf Hall of Fame and makes a mockery of the term "best" players.
Peter Croppo
Bayfield, Ontario
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What people seem to forget regarding LIV Golf is that the players who joined first turned their backs on the PGA Tour — the tour that made them rich and famous.
Then they turned a blind eye to the awful track record that the Saudis have regarding human rights. By joining LIV, they have aided and abetted the attempt by the Saudis to whitewash their image.
And now the golf fraternity is supposed to allow them to play in the majors, which they have already done and which I find offensive.
LIV golfers should be banned from the majors.
It is never too late to write a wrong.
Ray Edger
Surrey, British Columbia
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Players in LIV took the money and signed the contract with full knowledge — or their team should have informed them — that they were joining a tour that had no OWGR points and no privileges with the four majors.
The Open Championship is open.
The U.S. Open is open.
The Masters is an invitational — a private affair that can conduct business as it likes.
The PGA Championship is also an invitational, controlled by a group of professionals in the golf industry who can invite or decline as they best see fit.
If the majors fade into obsolescence because their fields become too weak due to stealing of talent by the Saudi PIF, it is their right and responsibility to address the issue or ignore it.
Mark Chatfield
Houston, Texas
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Absolutely not. The qualification criteria, which has been well established for years, has been consistently applied across all of the world’s major tours. LIV, a small minority of professional golf, has made a conscience decision to manage its tour differently. Any player on LIV can qualify for the open championships using their qualification criteria. As for the Master’s and PGA, if you win an approved PGA Tour event or through local qualifying, then you also can get in.
LIV players made a conscience decision to take the money and run. They should have completely understood the ramifications of their respective decisions. Many of them would like to have it both ways, which is completely unfair to the majority of professional golfers.
Goodbye and good riddance.
Steve Nardi
Ocean View, Delaware
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Not when the backers/sponsors of LIV are known to fund terrorism. The U.S. participants shouldn’t be permitted in PGA Tour or DP World events, I view these players as self-serving, money hungry and anti-American.
I will never watch a LIV event.
Michael Rutledge
Sarasota, Florida
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A hard no.
Golfers who moved to LIV walked away from the traditions of the game. They made their bed. Let them lie in it.
Mike Langley
St Thomas, Ontario
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Obviously there are a number of LIV players who are good enough to play in the majors, but LIV created a system that doesn't even come close to meeting the long established criteria for the Official World Golf Ranking, which is the most common basis for qualification. As far as I know, LIV has steadfastly refused to make any changes to its format and instead has demanded that the long established system be changed to accommodate its league.
I would love to see some of these top LIV players be able to compete in the majors, and if LIV would come forward with ideas to move them closer to OWGR standards, then I think the majors should consider some way to get these top players in. But the onus is on LIV to move in the right direction. It's not the rest of the world's obligation to accommodate LIV. And, in the final analysis, the LIV players can try to qualify for the Opens, so they aren't completely shut out of the majors.
John Abercrombie
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
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No, no, no. The LIV golfers knew this was a possibility when they left the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, but the almighty dollar meant more to them apparently. They can hold their own meaningless majors.
Buddy Ramirez
Cisco, Texas
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The best golfers should be in the majors regardless of the tour they play on.
Stephen Craven
Peabody, Massachusetts
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