LIV Golfers Could Compete on Ryder Cup Teams This Fall

European captain Luke Donald says he's keeping his options open, and U.S. captain Zach Johnson says he may start to pay more attention to the upstart tour.

Zach Johnson and Luke Donald are months away from stepping onto the first tee at Marco Simone outside of Rome and cheering on their Ryder Cup teams.

Since being named captains, both have had to deal with an issue that no other captains have had to address in the history of the Ryder Cup: the insurgency of a rival tour.

It’s possible LIV Golf is much less than a rebellion, but more of an alternative to what the PGA and DP World Tours do on a weekly basis, just differently.

But LIV has become a complicating factor for Donald and Johnson, even though likely none of its players will crack the six top point-earners on either side for automatic berths to teams, since they can not accumulate points except for majors and, in the European case, in certain DP World Tour events and other worldwide events that are not PGA Tour-sanctioned events, where all LIV players have been suspended.

With a recent arbitration decision permitting the DP World Tour to fine LIV players for competing in its events despite not having releases granted, the belief is that LIV golfers interested in a spot on the team will now almost certainly be limited to a captain’s pick. Donald may entertain those, but with just five months until the matches it's unclear if the Team Europe captain is willing to bring an interloper into Rome.

Oddly, after the arbitration decision, Donald said the DP World Tour sees value in LIV golfers and that Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, and Lee Westwood still have value to their tournaments by enhancing their fields.

So, unlike the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour may be willing—not necessarily with open arms—to welcome LIV Golfers back at least by giving them the opportunity to play in DP World Tour events in the future.

“I said from the beginning, I'm always kind of looking for guys that are really committed to wanting to make that team and be a part of it,” Donald said at the RBC Heritage. “But I'm keeping my options open. I want the strongest team I can, but I've got to also weigh that with a great team dynamic. And those are the things I'll be considered.”

Donald sounds like a captain with the authority to make a decision that would be contrary to the DP World Tour.

Johnson, on the other hand, always seemed painted into a corner, calling players like Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson "friends" but unwilling to commit to picking them, even if they would benefit a U.S. team that hasn’t won in Europe since 1993.

Part of the problem was believed to be the PGA of America, which tied PGA membership to PGA Tour membership. Since most LIV players had abandoned their Tour memberships, it was believed that their PGA membership was also forfeited. 

But then out of the blue the PGA of America changed its position.

"PGA of America membership is a requirement to be eligible to participate on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team,” the PGA said in a recent statement. “Under the PGA of America membership rules there are classifications that currently allow LIV Tour members to retain their PGA of America membership status."

Delving deeper, the PGA of America considers PGA Tour members an "A3" classification. Because the LIV players paid their membership dues before June 30, 2022, they will retain their membership through the end of June 2023 and then through a grace period that runs through the end of June 2024. After that, under the PGA’s current rules, they may apply for PGA's "Reserve Member" classification.

In short, LIV golfers are eligible to play on this year's U.S. Ryder Cup team.

“So, I don't know if it necessarily changes it,” Johnson said of the PGA of America’s newly stated policy. “I would just say that it's something that myself, my leadership, and those that I can trust would have to put it into consideration.”

But like Donald, Johnson has the same issues with the LIV players.

How do you know what you’re getting with a LIV player that plays in 14 events with a shotgun start and only 54 holes?

“Well, it's not easier,” Johnson said of evaluating LIV players versus PGA Tour players, “It's probably a little bit more difficult because I'm not face to face nor am I witnessing their games. I don't know what the conditions are like, probably don't know what the golf courses are like.

“I mean, there's competent players out there, you're speaking obvious terms there. But it's hard to really decipher, I guess what's really going on, and frankly, I don't know how they go about their work. I don't really follow up much, but I might want to start.”