R&A Puts LIV's Spot in the 2027 Open Championship Under Scrutiny

The R&A has announced the qualification pathways for the 155th Open Championship at St. Andrews—and in doing so, has suspended a provision that had previously been a fixed part of the system: The exception that granted the leader of the LIV Golf Order of Merit a starting spot remains suspended for the time being. It will remain subject to review until LIV Golf confirms its tournament schedule for 2027.

The path that took Niemann to Birkdale

This affects the very mechanism through which Joaquin Niemann secured his spot at Royal Birkdale in 2026. As the highest-ranked LIV player who had not yet qualified through other means, he earned a spot in the field through this separate category negotiated by the R&A—regardless of regular qualification or the world rankings.

As long as LIV Golf cannot present either a confirmed schedule or a clarified ownership structure, the R&A lacks the basis on which it could grant such an exception at all. For LIV pros, this means that one of the clearest paths to a guaranteed starting spot is off the table for the time being.

A statement that leaves much open

In its announcement dated September 22, 2026, the R&A notes that the entry categories are reviewed annually. Regarding the disputed rule, it states: “The exemption for the LIV Golf Order of Merit remains subject to change until the LIV Golf calendar for 2027 is confirmed.”

The association does not specify a date by which a final decision is to be made. The wording leaves both possibilities open: The category could be reinstated as soon as there is clarity regarding the LIV calendar—or permanently eliminated if that clarity does not materialize.

Background: Many paths to The Open, one of which is LIV-specific

The LIV category was most recently just one of several entry routes for LIV pros: Major winner exemptions, the Race to Dubai Order of Merit, the Open Qualifying Series, Final Qualifying, direct world ranking points from LIV tournaments—and that very same separate points category that Niemann utilized in July 2026.

The review comes at a highly uncertain time for LIV Golf. After the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced it would cease funding after the 2026 season, the league filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 8, 2026. Neither the schedule nor the ownership structure nor the league’s continued existence in its current form has been clarified at this time. The 155th Open Championship will take place July 11–18, 2027, at the Old Course in St. Andrews.

Read more about LIV Golf’s bankruptcy here.

Plenty of Other Paths to the Open Championship

For all other players, the doors to St. Andrews remain wide open. The Open Qualifying Series comprises 19 tournaments in 15 countries and spans eight Tours—from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour to the Asian Tour, the Japan Golf Tour, and the Sunshine Tour. The series kicks off this week with the FedEx Open de France at Le Golf National, followed by the Open de España, the Japan Open, and the Hong Kong Open in October, among others.

In addition, the Final Qualifying will take place on June 29 at Burnham & Berrow, Glasgow Gailes, Prince’s, and West Lancashire. The series concludes with the Last-Chance Qualifier on Monday, July 12, in St Andrews, where the final available spot will be awarded.

Follow live scoring from the DP World Tour’s Open de France here LIVE.

What Golf Monthly and Other Media Are Reporting

Golf Monthly was the first to prominently report on the suspension, a story later confirmed by Yahoo Sports, the Golf Channel, and EssentiallySports. Through Field Level Media, the news spread as a wire story to numerous other outlets.

Golf Monthly names not only Niemann but also Sergio Garcia as someone affected by the elimination of a “guaranteed” route. Garcia’s connection to LIV-related entry paths starting in 2025 is well-documented: At Royal Portrush, he benefited from a similar rule and secured a spot in the field with a top-35 finish. His situation is different in 2026, however—he missed the regular Open qualifier in West Lancashire, his Major Champion exemption from his 2017 Masters victory has expired, and his world ranking no longer grants him OWGR entry. None of these paths go through the points category, which has now been suspended.

Consequences for LIV golfers

LIV professionals who have relied on this category up to now—most notably Niemann—no longer have a guaranteed path to the 2027 Open. They would have to qualify through other means—via the world rankings, Final Qualifying, or a result at a jointly sanctioned tournament—should the category not be reactivated.

This review fits into a larger pattern. The DP World Tour has also signaled that its framework of conditional playing rights for LIV pros in 2027 is “highly unlikely” to continue in the same form as in 2026. As a result, several pathways to major championships and tournament eligibility are narrowing within the same timeframe. This increases the incentive for LIV pros to negotiate individual return agreements with the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour—a pattern already demonstrated by Jon Rahm’s individual DP World Tour arrangement in 2026.