The Open is set to bestow official status on LIV Golf by awarding the Saudi-funded circuit guaranteed berths in the British major, starting at Royal Portrush this year.
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TheOpenreturnsthisyeartoRoyalPortrush,whereShaneLowrytriumphedin2021–PA/DavidDaviesTheOpenissettobestowofficialstatusonLIVGolfbyawardingtheSaudi-fundedcircuitguaranteedberthsintheBritishmajor,startingatRoyalPortrushthisyear.
ItwillbeahugemomentforLIV,whichhascravedvaliditysinceitrippeduptheprofessionalgolfinglandscapewithitsformationthreeyearsago.
TheOpenistheoldestand,intheeyesofmanyexperts,themostimportantmajorinthesportandthefactthattheR&AwillfollowthesuitoftheUSGolfAssociation–thegame’sothergoverningbody,whichrunstheUSOpen–andgoofftheLIVrankingslisttoensurethetournamenthasthebestfieldpossibleisabigmilestone.
Certainly,itisanotableshiftinattitudefromtheR&A,whichjustafewyearsagobannedthethenLIVchiefexecutive,GregNorman,fromattendingthe150thOpenatStAndrewsinanofficialcapacityasformerchairman.
Itwillbeseenasanotherstep
