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2026 might be the first time in six years when Dustin Johnson doesn’t play in The Open Championship and the PGA Championship. He has a lifetime exemption for the Masters Tournament, and his 2016 U.S. Open win gets him one last ticket to the major at Shinnecock Hills next year. But Johnson may take a sigh of relief after hearing the LIV Golf CEO’s recent statement.

Scott O’Neil talked about LIV Golf’s move for OWGR status with Sport Business Journal’s Josh Carpenter. He confirmed that there has been “quite a bit of back and forth” between himself and the OWGR chairman, Trevor Immelman. And O’Neil believes LIV Golf has a “puncher’s chance” to get ranking points before the 2026 season begins.

That would be music to the ears of Johnson. He has been one of the most consistent performers in LIV Golf since its launch. Should he continue to showcase his form next year as well, while LIV Golf events are sanctioned by OWGR, then he would receive enough points to rise in the rankings.

Johnson is currently ranked 631st in the world. But a few high-ranked finishes in LIV Golf will help him jump up into a prime position. He had five top-10 finishes in 2025. With OWGR in play, Johnson would have enough motivation to push for a few more top-10s throughout 2026.

And he will have plenty of time to achieve that goal. If O’Neil’s “puncher’s chance” turns into a fact, then Johnson will have seven LIV Golf events to play before the 2026 PGA Championship. He will also have the Masters Tournament, where he could earn vital ranking points.

Scott O’Neil is also creating the right atmosphere for Dustin Johnson & Co. to succeed in the majors. He admitted to that during his interview with Sports Business Journal.

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How is Scott O’Neil pushing Dustin Johnson & Co. to succeed in the majors?

It’s not just the fact that LIV Golf is getting OWGR status that is making Dustin Johnson & Co. happy. Scott O’Neil has also been taking all measures to ensure the league’s format is aligned with the biggest tournaments in golf to help its players prepare for the majors.

In his interview with Josh Carpenter, O’Neil stated, “Sentiment seems to be that the biggest stage in the world is the majors, and we need to do everything we can to best prepare [LIV players] for the majors. And the sentiment is let’s mirror the format, and that makes complete intuitive sense to me.”

LIV Golf has already changed the format of its events to 72 holes. The four-round format will allow its best players to adapt to the demands of the majors. It also meets the requirements of OWGR to achieve authorization. That’s probably what convinced Dustin Johnson to extend his contract with LIV Golf. That is probably why Bryson DeChambeau is also eager to re-sign with them long before his contract is due.