
Bubba Watson: Top LIV Golf Players Should Automatically Qualify For Major Championships
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson has called for the top 15 players in the LIV Golf standings to automatically qualify for all Major championships the following year, arguing that these prestigious events need LIV's star power.
Watson believes the current pathways created by the R&A and USGA are a positive start but maintains that a broader qualifying system is necessary. "Any chance we have to get into the Majors, get all of us playing together again, it's always a good thing," Watson said at LIV Golf Singapore.
The proposal has gained support from other prominent LIV golfers. Kevin Na told Golf Monthly he's "pretty confident" LIV players will eventually receive Major exemptions, stating "there are too many good players playing out here."
Joaquin Niemann, who recently received a special invitation to the 2025 Masters, also supports using LIV rankings as qualifying criteria. "I would look at the rankings - whoever is the most consistent during the year has the chance to play at all the Majors next season," Niemann said.
Currently, The Open and US Open have created qualifying pathways for LIV golfers, while The Masters and PGA Championship offer select special exemptions. However, Watson argues that the Majors benefit from LIV players' participation: "The Majors realize for that one week that they have an event, they need us to join in there and play so we can get some media attention but also show how good LIV is."
This discussion comes amid broader conversations about golf's future, including potential cooperation between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, though integration proposals have faced resistance from some quarters of the traditional golf establishment.