The PGA Championship 2025, the annual golfing event and one of the four majors, will run from May 15-18. The tournament will be played at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club. Meanwhile, the championship will also allow 16 LIV players among the 156 players to take part in the second major of the year. However, for the LIV players, the tournament doesn't offer direct qualification routes based on their LIV results. Nevertheless, they do have other ways to qualify for the major.
Meanwhile, some players like Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Martin Kaymer, Cam Smith and Phil Mickelson are automatically qualified for the event as they are the past winners of the PGA Championship. Here is how the LIV players are allowed to take part in the PGA Championship.
How can LIV golfers play in the PGA Championship?
Independence: The PGA Championship is run by the PGA of America, separate from the PGA Tour. LIV's conflict is with the PGA Tour, not the organization behind the majors.
Qualification Criteria: The PGA Championship has its own qualifying criteria, often including the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) the week before the event.
LIV Golfers' participation in the PGA Championship
Players who meet the qualification criteria can participate in any golf tournament. For the PGA Championship, LIV golfers can also be invited based on the PGA of America's points system and an unofficial intake from the OWGR. The US Open and the Open Championship offer 36-hole final qualifying for players to earn their way into the tournaments.
To qualify for the PGA Championship, a player must meet one or more of the following criteria:
Be a former winner of a PGA Championship
Have won the last five Masters
Have won the last five US Opens
Have won the last five Open Championships
Have won the last three THE PLAYERS Championships
Be ranked in the top three on the OWGR's (Official World Golf Ranking) International Federation Ranking List
Be a previous winner of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
Be among the top 15 finishers and ties from the previous PGA Championship
Be among the top 20 finishers from the previous PGA Professional Championship
Be among the top 70 players who have earned the most PGA Championship points
Be a playing member of the last-named US and European Ryder Cup teams (if they remain in the top 100 on the OWGR)
Have won PGA Tour co-sponsored or approved tournaments whose victories are considered official
If necessary to complete the field, those beyond the top 70 players who have earned the most PGA Championship points may also qualify.
PGA Championship related pages
FAQs on LIV golfers in the PGA Championship
A. Yes, technically. The PGA Championship is a separate entity from the PGA Tour, with which LIV is in conflict. As long as they meet the qualifying criteria, LIV golfers can compete.
A. LIV's recent withdrawal from the OWGR points system. Without points from their new league, their ranking might fall outside the qualification threshold.
A. Yes. LIV golfers who already have enough OWGR points before the withdrawal might still qualify based on their existing ranking. Winners of the PGA Championship (or other majors) get automatic entry within the past five years, regardless of their current tour affiliation.
