How will the latest LIV defections affect the 2023 Ryder Cup?

The next Ryder Cup is more than a year away- it’s scheduled to tee off in September of next year- but there is already much chatter about whether golfers who are joining the breakaway LIV Golf tour will be allowed to participate.

LIV’s effect on American and European golf

The creation of the Saudi Arabia-backed series has created shockwaves in the golfing world, causing a mighty schism in the sport. Some of the biggest names in golf like Phil Mickelson (who has been part of every Ryder Cup since 1995 and was assistant captain in 2021) had announced that they would play in the rebel tournament, and this has had repercussions on their status in the PGA.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan had announced that the organization would indefinitely suspend all players, current and future, who participate in LIV Golf tournaments. This means that those who join the breakaway tour will not have the opportunity to sign up for PGA Tour events.

As a result, golfers such as Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood have resigned their PGA memberships.

The DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf tour in Europe, has not suspended its members for joining the Saudi Series, but it has imposed heavy fines on those who take part in their competitions.

What of the Ryder Cup?

With this backdrop, the ability to participate in the biennial tournament between teams from the United States and Europe has come to the fore.

Henrik Stenson was announced earlier this year as the European Ryder Cup Captain, and now there are reports he is joining LIV Golf as well. A formal announcement is expected before the third event on the Tour’s schedule, which will take place from July 29 to 31 in New Jersey. There are also indications that the Swedish player could be stripped of the captaincy if he does sign up with LIV.

Meanwhile, European Ryder Cup regulars Westwood and Garcia both hope that the criteria for being able to join the tournament have not been changed, and that they would still be able to compete.

There may have been no official announcements on the European side so far, but the situation on the part of the U.S. may be clearly deduced. US Ryder Cup team captain Zach Johnson confirmed that players who wish to be part of the American team must earn Ryder Cup points through the PGA of America. This effectively rules out all golfers who have jumped ship to LIV Golf, as they will not be able to earn the points that they would need to qualify for next year’s contest in Rome.