'They’ve been ostracized:' LIV Golf professional praises gamers for 'large threat'

High collegiate golfers normally had their street map set for skilled golf after leaving college. Attempt to make it to the PGA Tour, whether or not it’s by Q-Faculty, the Korn Ferry Tour, different feeder and mini excursions, and so on.

Nevertheless, since LIV Golf’s launch, the brand new league has provided a brand new path ahead for aspiring professionals, and some have jumped on the alternative.

Spaniards Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra and David Puig each bailed on plans to play extra years of faculty golf to affix LIV Golf in 2022. James Piot, the 2021 U.S. Novice winner, additionally went straight from the faculty ranks to LIV Golf.

Lopez-Chacarra shocked the golf world when he turned down possible Korn Ferry Tour standing in saying he would return to Oklahoma State for a fifth 12 months earlier than making an about-face and becoming a member of LIV Golf two months later.

Puig competed in LIV’s inaugural London occasion in June 2022 as an novice earlier than leaving Arizona State in September of that 12 months to show skilled and formally be a part of the league.

In an interview with the Asian Tour, early LIV adopter Graeme McDowell praised Lopez-Chacarra and Puig for his or her selections to affix the Saudi-backed PGA Tour rival.

“It’s fascinating for these younger guys, you take a look at Chacarra and Puig specifically, they’ve chosen the LIV path, and we’re not actually conversant in that path,” McDowell mentioned. “They’ve taken a large threat in a manner however they’ve each kicked on and I’m actually pleased with these guys.”

Final 12 months within the runup to LIV’s inaugural occasion, McDowell additionally reached out to Turk Pettit, the 2021 NCAA Championship winner, and provided him a spot on his crew for LIV’s first season. Andy Ogletree, the 2019 U.S. Novice champion, additionally signed up for LIV’s first occasion.

All 5 gamers have been suspended from PGA Tour-affiliated occasions because of their option to play LIV occasions. Whereas neither Ogletree, Piot or Pettit had membership on the Korn Ferry Tour, Lopez-Chacarra and Puig, have been more likely to acquire a minimum of that standing upon ending school.

Within the fall of 2022, the PGA Tour made changes to the PGA Tour University program, giving full PGA Tour membership to the highest finisher for the following 12 months and a half after the tip of their senior season, and Nos. 2-5 incomes full Korn Ferry memberships.

Ludvig Aberg took benefit of the adjustments to turn out to be the primary participant to graduate school and go straight to the PGA Tour by this system. Already this season, Vanderbilt junior Gordon Sargent locked up PGA Tour membership on the finish of the NCAA season by the PGA Tour U Accelerated program.

Lopez-Chacarra was more likely to acquire Korn Ferry Tour standing as he was third within the rating when he introduced he would use his fifth 12 months of eligibility at OSU. Puig, in the meantime, made himself ineligible for the rating when he performed within the LIV London occasion. In a possible effort to dissuade gamers from becoming a member of LIV in early 2022, the PGA Tour informed school gamers they might be ineligible for advantages from the PGA Tour College program in the event that they performed in any skilled occasion that didn’t earn Official World Golf Rating factors.

LIV Golf didn’t earn OWGR factors on the time and its request to be acknowledged by the rating physique was recently denied.

“They’ve been ostracised just a little bit from the younger {golfing} world, however they’ve used the LIV Golf League as a platform and brought issues to the following degree,” McDowell mentioned. “I’m pleased to see them kick on the best way they’re – they’ll be nice younger gamers. I hope the world opens up for them they usually get the chance to try to win Majors as nicely.”

That state of affairs, nonetheless, seems to be unlikely, with LIV Golf not incomes world rating factors anytime quickly, two main championships lately saying they would not alter their entry criteria in 2024 to account for LIV golfers.

And whereas Lopez-Chacarra and Puig have had success on LIV, incomes $3,284,583 and $3,903,333, respectively, in 2023 with Lopex-Chacarra received an occasion in 2022, the opposite three golfers have had a harder time.

Ogletree didn’t play one other LIV occasion in 2022, however will rejoin the league full-time in 2024 after successful the Asian Tour Order of Benefit.

Pettit, in the meantime was dropped by his crew after the 2022 season and joined the Asian Tour. Nevertheless, he lately made it by the primary stage of Q-Faculty after his one-year ban for taking part in within the LIV Golf Crew Championship final October lapsed (or lapsed enough). He’s in search of to turn out to be the first former LIV Golfer to earn PGA Tour status.

Piot has performed in each LIV occasion in 2023, however he completed forty seventh within the standings, which means he was relegated and should re-earn a spot within the league by ending within the prime three of the LIV Promotions event.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State College, incomes levels in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his highschool golf crew and lately returned to this system to function head coach. Jack additionally nonetheless *tries* to stay aggressive in native amateurs. Earlier than becoming a member of GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but in addition producing, anchoring and even presenting the climate. He may be reached at [email protected].