Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm stated it’s “a little bit bit unhappy” {that a} participant of Joaquin Niemann’s caliber doubtless gained’t play in all the majors this 12 months due to his affiliation with LIV Golf.
After successful LIV’s season-opening occasion Sunday at Mayakoba in a playoff with Sergio Garcia, Niemann began his post-round interview by saying, “However I’m not within the majors.”
That wasn’t totally correct.
Niemann, 25, is exempt into The Open by advantage of his victory late final 12 months on the Australian Open. However at No. 74 within the Official World Golf Rating (he was nineteenth when he jumped to LIV in summer season 2022), and with restricted alternatives to play in OWGR-sanctioned occasions this spring, Niemann faces the prospect of lacking the opposite three majors if he doesn’t advance by means of qualifying or obtain a particular invitation.
Niemann’s precarious place has reignited the fiery debate surrounding LIV gamers’ standing within the majors.
“Each different tour on the planet can qualify just about,” Rahm stated Tuesday in Las Vegas, the place LIV is taking part in its second occasion of the season, “and if anyone thinks that the gamers right here will not be succesful, or excessive sufficient high quality to exit and compete in majors, I feel they need to come and see for themselves, as a result of, once more, a number of the finest gamers on the planet are nonetheless right here and deserve an opportunity.”
LIV’s utility for world-ranking factors was denied final 12 months, leaving few choices for his or her gamers to enhance their standing and get into the 12 months’s largest occasions. Rahm himself isn’t in that place – he’s exempt into the majors for at the least the following 5 years due to his win at Augusta Nationwide – however he nonetheless understands his colleagues’ plight.
“Do I imagine he deserves to be in majors? Sure. Does he have the expertise to contend and probably win majors? Sure,” Rahm stated of Niemann. “However sadly, the truth is that he’s going to must attempt to qualify for 2 of them.
“It’s a little bit bit unhappy, however it’s hopefully one thing that we see a change sooner or later, encouraging gamers in LIV Golf to have the ability to qualify or perhaps a change on the planet rating, no matter it could be. As a result of there’s undoubtedly a whole lot of gamers right here which can be greater than succesful to contend and win majors and will not be going to have the prospect within the close to future. I hope it modifications.”
When he was requested if the majors could be in any approach diminished as a result of all the finest gamers on the planet haven’t been assembled, Rahm stated, “Ideally, to be one of the best on the planet, it’s important to beat one of the best on the planet, interval. Not that there will likely be an asterisk, however Joaco not being there may be undoubtedly a step down within the stage of the sector.”
