USGA won't ban LIV participants -- including Phil Mickelson -- from U.S. Open in Brookline
BOSTON -- The world of golf will officially become disrupted this week, when the LIV Golf tour hosts its inaugural event in London. That shake-up for the PGA will not impact the U.S. Open, though.
The USGA announced on Tuesday that despite the PGA's intentions to discipline (and possibly ban) players who partake in the LIV events, the U.S. Open will not take that same course of action. Golfers who play in the LIV tournament this weekend in London will be allowed to play in next week's U.S. Open in Brookline, provided they've qualified under the existing criteria to do so.
"We pride ourselves in being the most open championship in the world and the players who have earned the right to compete in this year's championship, both via exemption and qualifying, will have the opportunity to do so. Our field criteria were set prior to entries opening earlier this year and it's not appropriate, nor fair to competitors, to change criteria once established," the USGA said in a statement. "Regarding players who may choose to play in London this week, we simply asked ourselves this question -- should a player who had earned his way into the 2022 U.S. Open, via our published field criteria, be pulled out of the field as a result of his decision to play in another event? And we ultimately decided that they should not."
The USGA made sure to note that as an organization, it is not taking sides in the PGA-LIV dispute.
"Our decision regarding our field for the 2022 U.S. Open should not be construed as the USGA supporting an alternative organizing entity, nor supportive of any individual player actions or comments," the USGA said. "Rather, it is simply a response to whether or not the USGA views playing in an alternative event, without the consent of their home tour, an offense that should disqualify them for the U.S. Open."
The USGA's stance means that Phil Mickelson will be allowed to play in next week's U.S. Open at The Country Club. The same would apply to Dustin Johnson, who resigned from the PGA in order to join LIV Golf. Mickelson hasn't played since generating controversy regarding his comments on the Saudi-funded league in late February, missing both The Masters and the PGA Championship while taking time away from the sport. He'll participate in the LIV event in London this weekend and plans to head to Massachusetts next week for the U.S. Open, and he now officially has the USGA's blessing.
