LIV Golf, the embattled, Saudi-backed league now playing its third season, has four former Open Championship winners among its ranks — and the players who finished first and second at the 2016 Open hosted at Royal Troon, where this week’s will also be played.
To be honest, eight years ago, Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson were seemingly playing another tournament. Stenson, after a final-round 63, finished at 20-under, three shots better than Mickelson — and the next closest player to Mickelson was 11 strokes behind.
Mickelson said he was stunned he didn’t win. Still is.
“I thought I played a great final round, well enough to win, and it just wasn’t,” he said last week ahead of LIV’s event in Spain. “Like I said, I played some of my best golf and it wasn’t enough to win, which is the first time I can remember that being the case.
“And I thought 65 for sure would be enough.”
During a press conference, he was asked if he believed it was his “proudest defeat.”
“I mean we keep framing my losses in different ways,” he said. “It’s not making me feel any better either way.
“Like I said, it’s more the process, and having that opportunity to play great golf. To go head-to-head with somebody I have so much respect for, even though I still came up short, I have this great life experience and this great memory and this great competition to look back on.
“I mean, I loved the week. I loved playing like that. I want to play like that again. That’s why I’m working hard. I love competing and having a chance to win like that. Even though I came up short, I thought it was a lot of fun to be a part of that.”
Below, you can find a list of LIV Golf members who are playing in this week’s Open Championship at Royal Troon. How they qualified is listed in parentheses.
LIV Golf members in the Open Championship field
Abraham Ancer (final qualifying)
Dean Burmester (Open Qualifying Series South Africa)
Laurie Canter (First five DP World Tour members and any Race to Dubai members tying for fifth place, not otherwise exempt, in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings on completion of the 2024 BMW International)
John Catlin (Open Qualifying Series Malaysia)
Bryson DeChambeau (The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2024; the U.S. Open Champions for 2019-2024)
Tyrrell Hatton (The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2024; first 30 in the Final Race to Dubai Rankings for 2023; top 30 players for the Final 2023 FedEx Cup)
Sam Horsfield (final qualifying)
Dustin Johnson (The Masters Tournament Champions for 2019-2024)
Brooks Koepka (The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2024; the PGA Champions for 2018-2024)
Adrian Meronk (First 30 in the Final Race to Dubai Rankings for 2023)
Phil Mickelson (The Open Champions aged 60 or under on July 21, 2024 (for all Champions up to 2024); the Open Champions for 2013-2023; the PGA Champions for 2018-2024)
Joaquin Niemann (Open Qualifying Series Australia)
Andy Ogletree (The first five players on the 2024 Federations Ranking List as of closing date)
Louis Oosthuizen (The Open Champions aged 60 or under on July 21, 2024 (for all Champions up to 2024))
David Puig (The first five players on the 2024 Federations Ranking List as of closing date)
Jon Rahm (First 10 anyone tying for 10th place in The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool in 2023; the first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2024; first 30 in the Final Race to Dubai Rankings for 2023; the U.S. Open Champions for 2019-2024; the Masters Tournament Champions for 2019-2024; top 30 players for the Final 2023 FedEx Cup)
Cameron Smith (The Open Champions aged 60 or under on July 21, 2024 (for all Champions up to 2024); the Open Champions for 2013-2023; the Players Champions for 2022-2024)
Henrik Stenson (The Open Champions aged 60 or under on July 21, 2024 (for all Champions up to 2024); the Open Champions for 2013-2023)
Note: Canter and Catlin are reserve players on LIV Golf.
Editor’s note: By clicking on the tournament’s name, you can read articles on LIV Golf members who qualified for the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
