At Glance
– ‣ Several LIV Golf players, including Joaquin Niemann, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Dean Burmester, Lucas Herbert, Adrian Meronk, and David Puig, have received special invites to the PGA Championship, despite LIV Golf’s inability to offer world ranking points.
– ‣ Louis Oosthuizen, a two-time runner-up at the PGA Championship and 2010 Open champion, did not receive an invite initially, sparking speculation and surprise among fans and media, despite his high world ranking and recent good form.
– ‣ It was later confirmed by Doug Ferguson that Oosthuizen had been offered an invitation to the PGA Championship but turned it down due to personal commitments, clarifying the earlier confusion over his absence.
PGA plays it by the book with top 100 and a little beyond. No Oosthuizen was a surprise. But cool to invite Tim Widing after back-to-back wins on Korn Ferry, and Kazuma Kobori. Reminds me of PGA inviting Tom Kim in 2020 when he was 18
— Doug Ferguson (@dougferguson405)
Several LIV Golf players snagged special invites to the PGA Championship, stirring the pot among fans. But hey, where’s Louis Oosthuizen? The guy’s a two-time runner-up.
In March, whispers started when Joaquin Niemann got his golden ticket to Valhalla. Now, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Dean Burmester, Lucas Herbert, Adrian Meronk, and David Puig are joining the party.
Here’s the kicker: being in the world’s top 100 usually gets you a seat at the table. Despite LIV Golf’s ranking point drama, only three of the seven invitees, Puig, Gooch, and Burmester, are outside that club.
Oosthuizen? He’s sitting at 125th. That’s 19 spots below Puig but still leaps and bounds above Gooch, who’s chilling at 644th. Plus, Oosthuizen’s got a history of shining at this tournament. Remember 2017 and 2021?
So, Gooch is in, but Oosthuizen, who’s way up the rankings, is out. Makes you scratch your head, right?
Lately, Oosthuizen’s been on fire, even away from LIV Golf. He bagged back-to-back wins at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open last December. Not to mention a close second at the International Series Oman in February.
Despite all that, the 41-year-old’s not hitting the greens at Oak Hill this year. And yeah, people are talking.
AP’s Doug Ferguson called it a “surprise.” Phil Casey from PA Media Golf wondered if Oosthuizen’s even sweating it. And the folks at Flushing It speculated he might’ve said “no thanks” to an invite.
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The PGA’s sticking to its guns, inviting only the top 100 and a few extras. No room for Oosthuizen, but hey, Tim Widing and Kazuma Kobori got the nod. Reminds me of when Tom Kim got his shot in 2020.
Is Oosthuizen losing sleep over this? He joined LIV with tractors and less golf on his mind, if memory serves.
Maybe he did turn down the invite. Fans are definitely feeling the sting, calling it a “glaring oversight” and “brutal.”
A major champ, T2 just a few years back, and killing it this year. Yet, no invite.
But plot twist: Doug Ferguson later revealed Oosthuizen did get an offer but had to pass due to personal commitments. Wonder what those were?
While Oosthuizen sits this one out, it’s clear why Gooch and Puig got their invites. Gooch’s the LIV Golf champ of 2023, and Puig’s been tearing it up on the Asian Tour.
The PGA Championship is set to tee off at Valhalla on May 16. Let’s see how this all plays out.
