Top 5 LIV Golf Heavyweights Missing From the 2024 Open Championship Field

16 contracted LIV Golfers have punched their tickets to Royal Troon. That’s three more than the U.S. Open and the Masters. If we add two reserves, Laurie Canter and John Catlin, who played two LIV Golf events each, the numbers go up to 18. While Greg Norman would be happy about the increased representation, a few missing names will sting.

A number of veterans from LIV Golf will watch from the comfort of their homes as their peers vie for glory at the last major of the season. The long list includes veterans and youngsters alike. Here are the five bigwigs to miss the Royal Troon trip.

Sergio Garcia

For Sergio Garcia, it was heartbreak twice in a row. Last year too, the Spaniard failed to qualify and this year he finished sixth, two shots off the qualifying score. Had he qualified, the Open would’ve been his 100th major appearance.

However, rather than an on-course performance, the former Masters champion came to the limelight for his public spat with the R&A officials. Arguably the biggest name in the field of 72, Garcia was mobbed. Per on-ground reports, the marshals could do little at first, but later on his prodding, a few more marshals tagged Garcia.

The Fireballs captain later argued he was wrongly put on the clock, which made him hurry. The cost was a couple of bogeys that shattered his Open hopes at West Lancashire. 

Graeme McDowell

G-Mac was one of the 11 LIV Golf hopefuls for the Open Championship. The 2010 U.S. Open champion tied for 19th at the Royal Cinue Sports, from where his LIV Golf colleague, Branden Grace, was eliminated in the second playoff hole. The Northern Irishman hasn’t played a major since the 2021 U.S. Open. His last Open appearance came in 2019 when he tied for 57th.

Talor Gooch

The 2023 LIV Golf Individual Player of the Year didn’t enlist in any of the qualifiers for the Open Championship. Gooch has made three previous appearances in the Open Championship. He couldn’t better the T31 from 2021 in his next two outings. 

Notably, the Oklahoma star also chose to snub the U.S. Open qualifiers. Gooch has been at the forefront of the OWGR controversy since last year. The Smash GC player has clamored for a direct path to majors through LIV Golf. Only Seth Waugh, the former CEO of PGA of America, extended an invitation to Talor Gooch. 

Gooch didn’t tee off in the U.S. Open qualifiers as well. Interestingly, USGA CEO Mark Whan admitted Gooch’s demand can be met in the near future. So far, R&A hasn’t budged. But a new CEO can herald a change later this year. Till then, Gooch seems to be willing to wait. 

Ian Poulter

The Majesticks co-captain didn’t tee off at any of the four qualifiers this year, although his Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose earned his spot through that. Ian Poulter has 20 appearances at the Open, coming agonizingly close to 2008. His last Open and indeed, his last major appearance, came in 2022, where he tied for 62nd.

Interestingly, his compatriot, Lee Westwood, too, will miss the 152nd Open. Only Henrik Stenson, among the three co-captains of Majesticks, is in the field. Notably, Sam Horsfield, the fourth member of the all-European squad in LIV Golf, hailed Westwood and Poulter after securing his spot through the final qualifier. 

Richard Bland

Bland took the golf world by storm by winning two back-to-back Senior majors. Yet, the Englishman won’t travel to Scotland on July 18. It’s sort of a double whammy for the veteran golfer, who admitted he was playing the best golf of his career after joining the PIF-funded side. 

The U.S. Senior Open finished just a day before the four final qualifiers across the United Kingdom. On the other hand, Bland is unlikely to tee off at the Senior Open on July 25 at Carnoustie, as LIV’s UK event kickstarts at JCB Golf Course the very next day. 

Aside from them, Patrick Reed, Martin Kaymer, and Bubba Watson will also give the 152nd Open a miss. Reed’s streak of 41 majors was shattered last month as he missed the U.S. Open. The U.S. Open qualifier he enlisted fell just a day after the PGA Championship finished. Reed, notably, teed off at the Italian Open, where two spots in the Open Championship were up for grabs. But the former Masters champion tied for 28th.

On the other hand, Bubba Watson hasn’t cited any reason for not participating in the qualifiers. Two-time major winner Martin Kaymer, too, didn’t enlist for the qualifiers. Fireballs’ Eugenio Chacarra, Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri, and Torque’s Carlos Ortiz are some others who couldn’t punch their tickets for the 152nd Open.