LIV Golf, the professional golf tour financed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, has signed star amateur golfer David Puig. Puig, who has ranked as high as fifth in the amateur world rankings, has chosen to leave Arizona State to make his professional debut at LIV Golf’s next event at Rich Harvest Farms golf course outside Chicago this week. Puig still intends to attend Arizona State and graduate in the next year. [1]
Puig is now the second college golfer to turn professional and choose to join LIV golf over the PGA tour. Second ranked amateur, Eugenio Chacarra, recently left Oklahoma State before his senior year to join LIV Golf. [2]
Many have been skeptical of the sustainability of LIV Golf, but as it is beginning to attract some of the best young golfers in the world, accompanied with superstars like Cam Smith, Bryson Dechambeau, and Phil Mickleson, you have to wonder what LIV has in store for the future.
One major hurdle remains for LIV to cement itself as a true competitor of the PGA Tour, and that is whether golfers will be able to earn Official World Golf Ranking points in the near future for participating in LIV events. LIV has applied for World Ranking Points but its current tournament format does not match the elements needed to earn points. These elements include but are not limited to: a field size average of 75 players over the course of the season; a 36-hole cut; reasonable access for local or regional players; competitions contested over 72 holes; and an embrace of inclusion and promoting non-discriminatory practices.[3] The Official World Golf Ranking Board has been reviewing the LIV Golf application to gain accreditation and it will be interesting to see over the next few months what happens. Will LIV Golf make alterations to its format to be included? Will LIV survive without this much needed accreditation? With the players LIV have accumulated as well as the unlimited funding it has its disposal, there is reason to be optimistic, but only time will tell.
[2] https://www.si.com/golf/news/2022-chacarra-no-2-ranked-amateur-turns-pro-to-join-liv-golf
[3] https://www.golfdigest.com/story/liv-golf-official-world-golf-ranking-application-process-problems
Photo: https://thecomeback.com/golf/liv-golf-david-puig-pro.html