Which LIV golfers are in the field for the 2024 PGA Championship?
Golf fans have always been excited about major championships. It's the four tournaments that are scattered across the warm months of every year and season where history, stakes, and everything else you want in this game matter more. But in the modern era of the sport and the fractured golf world, it's also the only time we get to see all of the top players in the world as we will at the 2024 PGA Championship with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf both being represented.
We won't get into the politics because that's not important right now. We won't get into timelines for any potential ceasefire or even a merger because we have no idea how and when that will happen. What we can do is just get excited to see all of these players back playing the same tournament together once again.
But how many LIV Golf players are in the 2024 PGA Championship? Which players are in the field and how did they earn their exemption to get in the field? Let's unpack it all and even a little bit more.
How many LIV Golf players are in the 2024 PGA Championship?
There will be 16 LIV Golf players in the field at Valhalla for the 2024 PGA Championship. That will be the most that we've seen at this specific major championship, just barely eclipsing the 15 players who were in the field a year ago at Oak Hill for the tournament. What's more, of the 16 players in the field, there are three who are among the Top 20 favorites to win this week in Louisville.
Every LIV Golf player at the 2024 PGA Championship and how they got in
LIV Golf Player | How They Got in 2024 PGA Championship |
---|---|
Dean Burmester | Special Invite |
Bryson DeChambeau | 2020 US Open Champion's Exemption |
Talor Gooch | Special Invite |
Tyrrell Hatton | Top 15 Finish at 2023 PGA Championship |
Lucas Herbert | Special Invite |
Dustin Johnson | 2020 Masters Champion's Exemption |
Martin Kaymer | Past Champion (2010) |
Brooks Koepka | Past Champion (2018, 2019, 2023) |
Adrian Meronk | Special Invite |
Phil Mickelson | Past Champion (2005, 2021) |
Joaquin Niemann | Special Invite |
Andy Ogletree | Top 3 International Federation Ranking (Asian Tour) |
David Puig | Special Invite |
Jon Rahm | 2023 Masters Champion's Exemption |
Patrick Reed | Special Invite |
Cameron Smith | 2022 Open Champion's Exemption |
It's a large number of LIV Golf players, as mentioned, but it's also interesting to see how these golfers got into the field. Byrson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all get in based on their major championship wins. Meanwhile, Tyrrell Hatton finished Top 15 at the PGA Championship last year, which gets him into the field this year.
Beyond that, there were plenty of stories about the late special invites to a handful of LIV players after a few others had already been put into the field. In totality, it's Dean Burmester, Talor Gooch, Lucas Herbert, Adrian Meronk, Joaquin Niemann, David Pugi and Patrick Reed who all got the special invites to play at Valhalla.
The one true outlier is Andy Ogletree. He grinded and fully earned a spot in the 2024 PGA Championship by finishing inside the Top 3 of the Asian Tour standings and earned his first start into this event.
Which LIV Golf players have won a major since leaving the PGA Tour?
Only one LIV Golf player has won a major championship since leaving the PGA Tour or DP World Tour for the breakoff league: Brooks Koepka at the 2023 PGA Championship at Oak Hill. His win felt like an enormous validation of the league to some degree. However, it should also be noted that Cameron Smith won The Open Championship at St. Andrews in 2022 and then soon after joined LIV Golf, though it doesn't qualify totally for a player winning while playing on LIV.