The third major of the year, the 2025 U.S. Open, is set to commence at Quail Hollow. Among the large field of top professionals and amateurs are 14 LIV Golf players, two fewer than the number of LIV professionals in the field at last month’s PGA Championship.
While Bryson DeChambeau, this week’s defending champion, is the obvious headliner as he seeks his third U.S. Open title, LIV Golf boasts plenty of other star power.
Here’s a breakdown of each LIV golfer in this week’s field, how they earned their spot, and what’s at stake for them.
José Luis Ballester: The reigning U.S. Amateur champion and recent Arizona State graduate declined his Korn Ferry Tour membership, earned through the PGA Tour U programme, and joined LIV Golf last week. A recent change to U.S. Open exemptions within the past five years allows the U.S. Amateur winner to retain his exemption even after turning professional.
Richard Bland: Bland won the U.S. Senior Open last year at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island to secure his spot. The 52-year-old is one of two LIV seniors (alongside Mickelson) in the field and ranks 21st in LIV Golf standings this season.
Bryson DeChambeau: The defending champion needs little introduction as LIV’s top-ranked player in the world. He has won once this season on LIV and has finished T6 or better in five of the last six majors.
Tyrrell Hatton: The fiery Englishman has maintained his position in the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking to earn a spot at Quail Hollow through his stellar play on the DP World Tour, including two wins since September that propelled him back into the top 10 in January.
Dustin Johnson: Johnson won the last time the U.S. Open was held at Quail Hollow, securing his first major title, but the nine years since then feel like a lifetime. Johnson has struggled recently, missing five of his last seven major cuts and ranking 27th in LIV’s individual standings this season.
Brooks Koepka: Koepka was LIV Golf’s undisputed top dog two years ago when he won his fifth major at Oak Hill, but he hasn’t finished better than T17 in a major since the 2023 PGA and has missed cuts at both the Masters and PGA this year.
Jinichiro Kozuma: A recent LIV addition, Kozuma advanced to the U.S. Open through final qualifying.
Marc Leishman: Leishman has performed strongly on LIV Golf this season, winning earlier this year in Miami, and is one of three LIV golfers to qualify for the U.S. Open through final qualifying.
Phil Mickelson: ‘Lefty’ is still searching for the U.S. Open title to complete his career Grand Slam. The soon-to-be 55-year-old has hinted that this could be his final U.S. Open, as his exemption for winning the 2021 PGA Championship expires after this year.
Joaquín Niemann: While DeChambeau is LIV’s top player, none is in finer form than Niemann, who has won four of eight LIV events this season. The 26-year-old earned his first career major top-10 at last month’s PGA Championship and seems poised to add a major title to his trophy cabinet this week. He earned an exemption as the top LIV golfer not otherwise qualified.
Carlos Ortiz: A member of Niemann’s Torque GC LIV team, Ortiz also advanced through final qualifying.
Jon Rahm: Rahm has played much better since missing last year’s U.S. Open due to a foot injury. The 2021 champion nearly won the PGA Championship, taking the lead on the back nine before a bold strategy cost him late on. He has never finished outside the top 10 in any of his LIV Golf starts since joining the league last season.
Patrick Reed: After missing this tournament and The Open Championship last year, Reed quietly returned to the OWGR top 60 thanks to his third-place finish at the Masters. The 2018 Masters champion struggled at Quail Hollow, missing the cut, and is 18th in LIV Golf’s season standings this year.
Cameron Smith: Since his T6 finish at the 2024 Masters, the 2022 Champion Golfer of the Year hasn’t finished better than T32 in a major and has missed the last three cuts. He ranks 20th in LIV’s 2025 standings.
This article originated on Golf.com
Leave a comment