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UPDATE: The PGA of America released a statement following the publication of this article to clarify all LIV Golf players will be eligible for the Ryder Cup as well as the PGA Championship.
A Statement from the PGA of America. pic.twitter.com/Lg92Dl8U30
— PGA of America (@PGA) September 19, 2024
The original piece follows.
The golfers representing the United States will be looking to bounce back from their Ryder Cup loss in Italy when the competition heads back to America in 2025, but they may be without the talents of one of America’s most formidable golfers in the form of Bryson DeChambeau.
The 2023 Ryder Cup essentially ended as soon as it started, as Europe took a 6.5-1.15 lead over the United States on the first day of play and never looked back en route to its decisive victory on home turf at Marco Simone.
Plenty of drama unfolded during the 44th iteration of the event both on and off the course, including the heated showdown between Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantaly’s caddie in the parking lot after a match. That was also the case before it kicked off, as Europe swiftly stripped Henrik Stenson of his captaincy after he announced his decision to join LIV Golf in 2022.
Brooks Koepka was the only member of that league (at least at the time) who earned a spot on either Ryder Cup team (he was selected as a captain’s pick).
It was initially unclear if he was even eligible, but he was able to take advantage of a loophole that said anyone who’d paid their yearly dues to the PGA of America by the end of June 2022 could still compete (he announced his plans to defect around a week before that deadline).
That brings us to Bryson DeChambeua, who currently trails only Xander Schauffele and Scottie Scheffler on the list of players with the most Ryder Cup qualification points. The golfers who end up finishing in the top six theoretically earn an automatic bid, but he could be left on the outside looking in thanks to his decision to make the leap to LIV.
According to The Telegraph, the loophole Koepka was able to take advantage of no longer exists, and as things currently stand, it would appear DeChambeua isn’t eligible to compete in the 2025 Ryder Cup (whether via automatic qualification or a captain’s pick) for not being a card-carrying member of the PGA of America (Koepka and other LIV golfers who potentially make the team face the same issue).
The organization declined the chance to clear the air, as it responded to the outlet’s request for clarification by stating, “We don’t have anything to share at this time.”
There’s a chance that could change as we get closer to the event (which will kick off at Bethpage Black in New York on September 23, 2025); as The Telegraph notes, American captain Keegan Bradley has already said he intends to field a team with the best players regardless of their professional affiliations while putting pressure on the PGA of America to address the lingering questions.
DeChambeua would undoubtedly be a valuable asset, so here’s to hoping they’re able to figure this out sooner rather than later.