There were 12 full-time LIV golfers competing at The Masters back in April, then 15 made their way to Quail Hollow for the PGA Championship the follow month. 14 players from the PIF-backed circuit teed it up at Oakmont Country Club for the US Open, but a record 19 LIV Golf pros will head to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the final Major of 2025.
The hoard of LIV representatives earned their spots at The Open via a number of different paths, including world ranking, recent Major wins, a successful run at Final Qualifying and the first beneficiary of the new direct pathway, which was dependent on performance in their home circuit.
Below, we've listed all of the LIV professionals who are set to appear at Royal Portrush between July 17-20 and how they made it there.
DEAN BURMESTER
Dean Burmester is first on this list but was one of the last LIV players to earn his spot at the 2025 Open Championship given he teed it up at Final Qualifying on Tuesday, July 2.
The South African dominated the field at Royal Cinque Ports, following an opening round of 70 with a simply sublime eight-under 64 in the afternoon. That left him on 10-under and four strokes clear of his closest rival, allowing the big-hitting 36-year-old a fourth crack at playing in The Open.
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
Bryson DeChambeau technically booked his spot at The Open via two different methods, given he remains deep inside the world's top-50 as a result of his recent Major performances and as a result of being the 2024 US Open champion. That will take care of his status at the four biggest events for several years to come still.
Once he arrives at Royal Portrush, though, the big-hitting American will be desperate to better recent displays on British soil, with only one top-10 and three missed cuts (including a two-day stint during his last appearance in Northern Ireland) in seven Open Championship starts.
SERGIO GARCIA
Sergio Garcia is preparing to compete in the 26th Open Championship of his career as a result of earning the first exemption available to LIV golfers. The Spaniard won in the LIV Golf League earlier this season and has managed to score two further top-10s which supplemented his run into the circuit's top-five.
Once Garcia turns up at Royal Portrush, though, he will be hoping to improve on the two runner-up finishes he has managed across his career (2007 and 2014) and lift the Claret Jug at long last.
TYRRELL HATTON
Tyrrell Hatton secured his passage through to The Open Championship as a result of his world-ranking position - sustained by a handful of starts on the DP World Tour alongside regular appearances for Legion XIII.
Hatton has a couple of top-10s at The Open throughout his career, including a T6th at Royal Portrush back in 2019. Off the back of a close call at the US Open, the Englishman may well fancy his chances of securing his legacy in the game this July.
LUCAS HERBERT
Like Burmester, Lucas Herbert also reached The Open via Final Qualifying, ensuring that three of Ripper GC would be in attendance after Marc Leishman earned his spot via the Open Qualifying Series and Cameron Smith was named the 2022 Champion Golfer of the Year (spoilers!).
Herbert appeared to be comfortable on eight-under at West Lancashire Golf Club following rounds of 69 and 67 but ended with only a one-stroke lead at the top of the standings - still, more than enough to allow him a fifth Open Championship experience and first at Royal Portrush.
DUSTIN JOHNSON
Dustin Johnson could quite conceivably be playing his final Open Championship in 2025. Johnson is into the year's final Major as a result of his 2020 Masters victory - although, that exemption runs out ahead of next year so he will have to find another path if entering qualifying for the subsequent seasons does not appeal.
The 4Aces GC captain has five career top-10s at The Open, including a T2nd at Royal St George's back in 2011, but a lack of recent form suggests he is unlikely to go one better this year.
BROOKS KOEPKA
The five-time Major winner does not have to worry about qualifying for the four biggest events for a while given his 2023 PGA Championship success - the route Brooks Koepka relied on for The Open.
The Smash GC skipper has not enjoyed the best of years, generally, though - missing the cut at The Masters and PGA Championship before rectifying his Major form via a T12th at the US Open.
After whacking a tee box marker at LIV Golf Dallas and later withdrawing, Koepka will hope to earn the fifth top-10 of his career at The Open - one of which was a T4th at Royal Portrush last time out.
JASON KOKRAK
Jason Kokrak's successful journey to The Open Championship was formed via a third-place finish at the Asian Tour's International Series Macau, which forms part of the Open Qualifying Series.
The Canadian-born pro will be playing at The Open for the fifth time, having managed a best of T26th in 2021. At the 2019 Open, Kokrak made the weekend and finished T32nd.
MARC LEISHMAN
Marc Leishman was another LIV player to benefit from the Open Qualifying Series after ending T3rd at the Australian Open late last year. The Ripper GC man was tied with fellow countryman, Jasper Stubbs but was given the nod due to his superior position in the OWGR.
Leishman hadn't appeared in any of the Majors since 2022 before racking up a T38th finish at the US Open. He will hope to continue that momentum in Northern Ireland at a Major where he has missed the cut on his last three starts.
TOM MCKIBBIN
Tom McKibbin - the latest recruit to Legion XIII - has his top-10 position in last year's Race To Dubai ranking to thank for a spot in the 2025 Open.
The Northern Irishman will be well backed in his home country and undoubtedly eager to continue his record of making the cut at every Major he's been a part of so far. Admittedly, McKibbin only debuted at one of the big four last June, but still...
PHIL MICKELSON
Phil Mickelson won the 2013 Open at Muirfield to rubber-stamp his place in golf's oldest championship until he turns 60. It was a particularly successful time for Lefty as he had also won the Scottish Open one week prior.
In the years since, however, Mickelson has not really enjoyed his trips over to the United Kingdom with five missed cuts from his past seven appearances and a painful runner-up finish against Henrik Stenson in 2016.
JOAQUIN NIEMANN
Joaquin Niemann has had to rely on special invites into The Masters and PGA Championship this year, but the Chilean made it into The Open off his own back after finishing in the final qualifying position on last year's Race To Dubai rankings.
The top-25 from the DP World Tour's points list during the previous season can take up a place at The Open, with Niemann just edging out Ludvig Aberg in 2024. Niemann ended up missing the cut at Royal Portrush last time and hasn't finished inside the top-50 at any of his other four Open starts.
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN
Louis Oosthuizen has finished as runner-up in all four men's Majors. Luckily for the South African, he won the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews to ensure he can continue to rock up here every year until he's 60.
He has missed the cut in two of his past three visits to The Open but recorded a nice T20th the last time Royal Portrush hosted, so there's hope the wily veteran can plot his way around to success in 2025.
CARLOS ORTIZ
Carlos Ortiz is preparing to make just his second-ever Open Championship appearance after reaching the Major via its Open Qualifying Series. The Mexican won the Asian Tour's International Series Macau by three strokes to book his place.
After competing in all four Majors during 2021, Ortiz missed the cut at the 2022 PGA Championship and 2023 US Open before producing a brilliant display at the 2025 US Open last month. Finishing T4th, the Torque GC player may well fancy his chances of competing for the Claret Jug.
JON RAHM
Not that the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion needed to secure his Open status at last year's championship, but Jon Rahm absolutely ensured he would be at Royal Portrush courtesy of his T7th finish at Royal Troon last year.
That was his third top-10 in the past four Open starts, with a T11th on his Northern Irish debut in 2019 giving the Spaniard even further belief that he could better his runner-up result from Hoylake in 2023.
PATRICK REED
Patrick Reed's 2018 Masters success no longer guarantees him a free pass into The Open, so Captain America was forced to find a different route in 2025. Taking part in a handful of the Asian Tour's International Series events this term, Reed booked his spot in Macau via a runner-up finish at the Open Qualifying Series tournament.
Reed has played nine Open Championships before this year, but has only managed one top-10. That was a T10th at Royal Portrush prior to Covid, but with a first LIV Golf win in his back pocket as well as hopes of breaking into the Ryder Cup team late on, the 34-year-old may feel more confident than usual entering British soil.
CAMERON SMITH
Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith is another LIV player to hold Open status until well into their senior golf days, having triumphed over Cameron Young plus Rory McIlroy and co. at St Andrews' Old Course in 2022. His eight-under final round positively ripped the Claret Jug out of McIlroy's hands and ensured the Northern Irishman's wait for a fifth Major would continue.
Extraordinarily, that remains Smith's only top-19 result from seven appearances, with a T20th coming in his first look at Royal Portrush six years ago.
HENRIK STENSON
Still fondly remembered as one of the best final days at an Open Championship, Henrik Stenson saw off Phil Mickelson back in 2016 as the two now LIV peers went head-to-head at Royal Troon.
The Swede came out on top by three after posting 20-under and secured his tee time at The Open for years to come, but Mickelson was desperately unlucky not to add to his 2013 success given he was 11 shots clear of JB Holmes in third.
Regardless, both will be at Royal Portrush in 2025 hopeful of repeating something like their performances that week.
LEE WESTWOOD
Completing the record number of LIV golfers at one Major is Lee Westwood after the Englishman won his Final Qualifying event at Dundonald Links earlier in July. Westwood earned his 28th attempt at winning The Open after carding rounds of 70 and 67 in Scotland, helping him triumph by one stroke.
The 52-year-old has six top-10s at The Open - including a T4th at Royal Portrush - so may well be inspired by Justin Rose's display at Royal Troon in 2024 as he looks to land a maiden Major.
NUMBER OF FULL-TIME LIV GOLFERS AT EVERY MAJOR
The Masters |
PGA Championship |
US Open |
The Open Championship |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 |
18 |
18 |
15 |
16 |
2024 |
13 |
16 |
12 |
17 |
2025 |
12 |
15 |
14 |
19 |
