Bubba Watson remains firm in his stance on LIV Golf players’ participation in major tournaments. Speaking ahead of LIV Golf Singapore, the two-time Masters champion reiterated that the top 15 players from LIV’s previous season should automatically qualify for all major events.
Watson’s comments come after the USGA and R&A recently announced new qualification paths for LIV players to compete in the U.S. Open and The Open. For Watson, this is a step in the right direction — but not enough.
“Yeah, I think any chance we have to get into the majors and have all of us playing together again is a good thing,” Watson said Thursday.
Watson believes that performance on the LIV circuit should matter more when it comes to major qualifications.
“My thoughts have always been we should just go off our points list or our money list and have 15 guys from LIV be in all the majors — the top 15 from the year before. That’s what I’ve always said since day one.”
As a Masters winner in 2012 and 2014, Watson understands what it takes to succeed at the highest level. He argues that including LIV players in major events would not only raise the level of competition but also draw more attention to the tournaments.
“This is a start in the right direction,” he added. “People are recognizing that LIV is here to stay, and it’s only getting better. The majors realize that for the one week they have an event, they need us to compete to generate media attention and show how good LIV is and what team golf is all about.”
Since its launch, LIV Golf players have been banned from competing in PGA Tour events, except for major championships. Additionally, LIV players don’t receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, making it harder for them to qualify for major tournaments through traditional ranking systems.
Watson’s push highlights the growing tension between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, but his call for more open access to majors reflects the growing influence of LIV in the professional golf world.
