Jim Cowsert-Imagn Photographs
It appeared like Sergio Garcia was going to clinch a spot within the British Open after giving himself the prospect to sink a 3-foot putt so as to qualify. Nonetheless, he in the end ended up on the skin wanting in after failing to reap the benefits of that golden alternative.
Most golfers who’ve joined compelled with LIV Golf have been handsomely rewarded on the monetary entrance, however a lot of them face an uphill battle in the event that they wish to play in one of many sport’s 4 main tournaments resulting from how the sphere for these occasions is curated.
Final yr, LIV waved the white flag after making an attempt (and failing) to obtain accreditation from the Official World Golf Rating as its members have seen their spots on that listing decline to various levels resulting from their lack of ability to rack up factors as steadily as the blokes on the PGA Tour (Bryson DeChambeau is at present the best of all LIV Golf members at #18).
The British Open extends an invitation to individuals sitting within the High 50 within the OWGR eight weeks earlier than the event will get underway, and whereas a lot of LIV Golfers are already ensured a spot within the discipline at Royal Portrush in 2025 (which can also be the primary yr the occasion added an exemption for the league), there have been loads of others who had been nonetheless in the hunt for one as of final week.
There have been three bids up for grabs at Asian Tour’s Worldwide Collection Macau, as the primary, second, and third-place finishers in that four-day affair that kicked off final Thursday had been all slated to obtain an invitation.
The gold, silver, and bronze respectively went to LIV Golf’s Carlos Ortiz, Patrick Reed, and Jason Kokrak, with the final man on that listing edging out Sergio Garcia by a single stroke.
Nonetheless, the 45-year-old Spaniard most likely ought to have made it when you think about he had a 3-foot putt for birdie on the 18th gap that may have led to him ending in a tie for third with Kokrak at -16 and profitable the tiebreaker based mostly on their present OWGR place (Korak was sitting at #775 heading into the event, whereas Garcia was #513).
Garcia is at present sitting in third place in LIV’s particular person rankings and will get the aforementioned exemption reserved for the highest-ranking member of the highest 5 who hasn’t clinched a spot by way of different means; he’ll even have the prospect to care for enterprise at another native qualifiers that shall be held earlier than the 153rd iteration of the key will get underway on July seventeenth.
