PGA Championship Features 16 LIV Golf Players in Strongest Field

The 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow features 16 LIV Golf players, including notable champions like Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, and Jon Rahm, selected through a combination of exemptions, world rankings, and special invitations. PGA of America officials, including CEO Derek Sprague and chief championships officer Kerry Haigh, defended inviting LIV players as part of their commitment to assembling the "strongest field in golf," a tradition they uphold by considering top performers across all worldwide tours. Although LIV events do not currently grant Official World Golf Ranking points, the PGA Championship and other majors have created special exemption categories or issued invites to include deserving LIV players. The inclusion of some controversial choices, such as Sergio Garcia and Dustin Johnson, sparked debate but was justified by their past major victories and efforts to maintain a competitive and diverse field. Officials also noted ongoing discussions about granting world ranking points to LIV Golf, with no definitive progress yet. Overall, the PGA Championship embraces a worldwide approach to player selection, balancing tradition with the evolving landscape of professional golf.