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A16    SPORTS
                   Friday 24 February 2023
            PGA Tour money makes it tough on LIV players’ Ryder hopes




            By DOUG FERGUSON                                                                                                    deliver the strongest field in
            AP Golf Writer                                                                                                      golf,” it said in a statement.
            Players  who  joined  Saudi-                                                                                        But  even  if  it  leans  on  the
            funded  LIV  Golf  can  still                                                                                       world  ranking,  that  might
            play in all the majors — and                                                                                        not work in LIV’s favor.
            qualify for the Ryder Cup —                                                                                         The league has filed an ap-
            now  that  the  PGA  Cham-                                                                                          plication  with  the  Official
            pionship  and  British  Open                                                                                        World  Golf  Ranking  board
            have  announced  only  mi-                                                                                          and  still  has  not  received
            nor tweaks to existing crite-                                                                                       notice  when  it  might  get
            ria.                                                                                                                approved. Even then, rank-
            But  the  main  avenue  to                                                                                          ing points would be signifi-
            golf’s  biggest  events  still                                                                                      cantly  less  than  those  for
            start  with  the  PGA  Tour,                                                                                        the  PGA  Tour  because  of
            and that might become in-                                                                                           the  48-man  LIV  fields  and
            creasingly difficult for most                                                                                       only six players currently in
            LIV Golf players.                                                                                                   the top 50.
            As  for  the  Ryder  Cup,  LIV                                                                                      Of  the  20  players  from  LIV
            players such as Dustin John-                                                                                        Golf  currently  in  the  top
            son,  Brooks  Koepka  and                                                                                           100,  eight  of  them  are  at
            Patrick  Reed  likely  would                                                                                        No. 75 and lower, and likely
            need  to  win  at  least  one                                                                                       to keep dropping.
            major to have any chance                                                                                            Haigh  said  the  PGA  of
            of  earning  one  of  the  six   Keith Mitchell hits from the ninth tee during the final round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament   America  would  consider
            automatic spots on the U.S.   at Riviera Country Club, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.   LIV  Golf  as  it  would  other
            team  for  the  Sept.  28-30                                                                       Associated Press   circuits.
            matches in Italy.                                                                                                   “We  look  at  other  tours,
            The  qualifying  system  is  has  significantly  different  fifth  at  Riviera  last  week  played  an  entire  LIV  Golf  money lists and rankings as
            1  point  earned  for  every  prize money.”               and  earned  $820,000  (820  season  last  year  but  is  not  we  have  done in  the past
            $1,000  won  in  PGA  Tour  Haigh  was  alluding  to  10  points).                     part  of  the  48-man  roster  and  will  do  in  the  future,”
            events  this  year,  with  1.5  PGA Tour events that have  That’s one example of the  this year.                    he  said.  “It  doesn’t  stop
            points  at  the  majors  and  a $20 million purse at least  movement available in the  The  majority  of  the  PGA  us from seeing other good
            double points for winning a  double  what  they  were  $20 million tournaments.        Championship field comes  players.”
            major. “Any PGA of Amer-     two  years  ago    plus  The  The PGA Championship on  from  the  PGA  Tour,  either  Asked if the PGA of America
            ica member who is a U.S.-    Players  Championship  at  Wednesday  became  the  through  winning  or  the  would consider LIV players,
            born player will be eligible  $25  million.  LIV  players  are  last  major  organization  to  money  list.  Officials  also  Haigh replied, “Absolutely.”
            to earn points,” Kerry Haigh,  not eligible for any of those  weigh  in,  adding  one  cat-  rely  on  special  invitations,  Seth  Waugh,  the  CEO  of
            the PGA of America’s chief  events  because  the  tour  egory for three players from  a vague term that presum-     the  PGA  of  America,  said
            championships officer, said  has  suspended  them.The  the new International Fed-      ably  relies  on  the  world  decisions are based on the
            in an interview. “If the only  four  majors  have  not  an-  eration Ranking list for tours  ranking.  The  reputation  of  best interest of the associa-
            events  they  get  in  are  the  nounced  their  prize  funds  in Japan, Asia, South Africa  the  PGA  Championship  tion  and  running  the  best
            majors,  they  would  need  yet.                          and Australia.               has been to have the stron-  championship possible.
            to win one or more, or finish  Johnson currently is No. 14  The  top  three  will  be  de-  gest field of the four majors.  “Sadly  the  current  division
            high in a couple of others.  in  the  Ryder  Cup  stand-  termined  on  April  24.  The  “The  PGA  of  America  also  in  the  professional  game
            “Knowing  where  that  sixth  ings.  He  is  three  spots  be-  current leaders include Sih-  reserves  the  right  to  invite  is not good for the sport or
            place  is  will  be  difficult  to  hind  Keith  Mitchell,  who  wan Kim, who plays for LIV  additional players ... in pur-  the  future  of  the  game,”
            predict,” he said. “This year  was No. 25 until he finished  Golf, and Shaun Norris, who  suit  of  our  annual  goal  to  Waugh said. q



            McEnroe, Borg returning as Laver Cup

            captains in Vancouver


            NEW  YORK  (AP)  —  John  reaching  the  semifinals  at  before Frances Tiafoe’s vic-
            McEnroe  and  Bjorn  Borg  the 2021 U.S. Open.            tory  over  Stefanos  Tsitsipas
            will  return  as  Laver  Cup  Auger-Aliassime    helped  clinched the outcome.
            captains  this  year,  when  begin  the  comeback  on  “Felix  was  our  MVP  last
            the  team  event  moves  to  Day  3  of  the  Laver  Cup  in  year.  He  really  turned  the

            Canada for the first time.   London  last  September  tide for us, big time,” McEn-
            McEnroe  will  lead  Team  marked by Roger Federer’s  roe  said  in  a  video  press
            World against Borg’s Team  final match, a doubles loss  conference  on  Thursday.
            Europe at Rogers Arena in  alongside  longtime  rival  “It’s  a  no-brainer  to  have
            Vancouver  from  Sept.  22-  Rafael Nadal  when Team  Felix  on  the  team.  I  think
            24.                          World finally beat Team Eu-  he’s going to win a major in
            The  only  player  named  to  rope  after  losing  each  of  the next year  18 months at
            either  six-man  roster  so  far  the  initial  four  editions  of  the most.”
            is   Felix   Auger-Aliassime,  the event.                 Ticket packages for the La-
            a  22-year-old  from  Mon-   Auger-Aliassime     paired  ver Cup, which was found-     Team Europe’s Captain Bjorn Borg, left, chats with Team World’s
            treal  who  is  currently  No.  with  Jack  Sock  to  win  a  ed  by  Federer’s  manage-  captain  John  McEnroe,  on  the  second  day  of  the  Laver  Cup
                                                                                                   tennis tournament at the O2 in London, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
            9  in  the  ATP  rankings.  His  doubles  match,  then  beat  ment company, go on sale                                          Associated Press
            best Grand Slam result was  Novak  Djokovic  in  singles,  March 3.q
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