LIV stars give up golden major opportunity after making Open Qualifying u-turn

LIV Golf duo Marc Leishman and Jason Kokrak opted to give up their spots in Final Open Qualifying at West Lancashire, losing the chance to compete at Royal Troon later this month.

Leishman and Kokrak were two of seven LIV stars listed as entries to tee it up at the 36-hole qualifier this week, alongside Sergio Garcia, Sam Horsfield, Kieran Vincent and Carlos Ortiz. Come Tuesday however, the pair were confirmed as withdrawals by the R&A.

Elsewhere a whole host of other LIV stars took the opportunity to chase a last minute spot in this year’s Open Championship, with Aniriban Lahiri and Abraham Ancer competing at Burnham and Berrow, and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, Graeme McDowell and Branden Grace at Royal Cinque Ports.

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Leishman’s absence on the Wirral ensures he will miss The Open for the second-straight year, having previously played in 11 of the last 12 editions of the major championship. In 2015 he had a golden opportunity to become an Open champion but lost out to eventual champion Zach Johnson in a playoff at St Andrews.

Kokrak will too miss his second Open in a row, with the pair feeling the effects of their LIV Golf move with the breakaway league continue to operate without Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points on offer. Kokrak had played in the last four Opens prior to last year’s absence.

His best finish came in 2021 at Royal St. George’s, after the Smash GC star finished in a tie for 26th alongside the likes of fellow LIV member Ian Poulter and current US PGA champion Xander Schauffele. Kokrak had openly confirmed his intention to play in Tuesday’s event two months earlier.

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Whilst at LIV Singapore in May Kokrak was alongside his Smash teammates Brooks Koepka, Talor Gooch and McDowell, where they were ask if they had intentions to qualify for both the U.S. Open and Open Championship. “I personally am,” Kokrak responded.

“Doing the U.S. Open in Columbus and then the Open in Manchester [West Lancashire]. I plan on playing both of them.” His teammate Gooch meanwhile – who had previously been vocal about LIV’s lack of pathways into the four majors opted to skip both qualifying events.

Gooch had announced himself as LIV Golf’s leading player in 2023, winning three times on the way to securing the season-long title. This however made no baring on his exemptions for golf’s four majors, having initially been left out all four flagship event fields. He was granted some access, earning an invite to the PGA Championship at Valhalla in May.