What would you risk to turn a breakthrough season into financial stability for your family? For Miguel Tabuena, the answer is brutally practical: step into the LIV qualifiers at Black Diamond Ranch, knowing it could bar him from PGA events for a year — and, without a Q-School pathway this season, possibly two.

“I made a difficult choice between LIV Qualifying or the PGA Tour Q School,” Miguel Tabuena told the Inquirer. “I know there’s a (PGA) ban that will be imposed once one plays in LIV (circuit of qualifying). I can’t even go to (PGA) events to try and Monday-qualify. So that’s it, basically. I will have to wait two years to give the PGA another try—unless their rules change.”

While Tabuena is not a current PGA Tour member, the Tour closed the “non-member loophole” in the 2022-2023 season. The updated regulation states: “Any player who has participated in an unauthorized tournament is ineligible to compete in any event sanctioned by the PGA TOUR for a period of one year from the final round of competition of the unauthorized tournament.”

Now, a one-year ban keeps Tabuena away from the Q-School event for an entire season. To play on the PGA Tour in 2027, a player must compete in Q-School the previous season. It makes the wait eventually two years if Tabuena fails to win his spot on the Florida course. 

The road to this decision started with a magical week in his home country. Last October, the Asian star dominated the International Series at the Sta. Elena Golf Club. He carded a brilliant final-round 65 to finish at an amazing 24-under par. This victory pushed him up the global rankings and made him the most successful Filipino golfer in the history of the Asian Tour by passing the previous record of three titles held by Angelo Que.

Despite his heroics in the Philippines, the conclusion of the 2025 season presented a bittersweet reality. The International Series Order of Merit awarded direct LIV Golf League contracts to only the top two finishers. Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent and Japan’s Yosuke Asaji earned those spots, while Tabuena missed qualification by finishing third, a few points short.

But this “near-miss” gave him a special “bye” into the second round of the qualifiers. This advantage makes his path to a league contract much easier and safer to navigate. He likes his chances because he only needs three solid rounds to succeed.

“I will just have to play three solid rounds to make the top three. I like my chances better. So I’m giving LIV another go,” Tabuena explained.

Most importantly, the Filipino star feels he is currently at the peak of his physical powers. He wants to use his prime years to provide the best life for his family.

“I feel like I am at the prime of my physical abilities,” Tabuena shared. “At the end of the day, I have to think of how best to provide for Sandra (wife) and (daughter) Paloma and LIV is the logical way to go.”

Still, winning a spot at Black Diamond Ranch will not be easy because the field is full of stars. Eighty-three other players from twenty-three different countries are fighting for only three golden tickets. Tabuena must beat former Ryder Cup stars such as Anthony Kim of the USA and Chris Wood of Europe, and other hungry contenders such as Ollie Schniederjans and Wade Ormsby. Pressure at Black Diamond Ranch will be higher than ever this week.

Still, Tabuena’s arrival feels like a breath of fresh air for the struggling Saudi league.

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Why Tabuena is the spark LIV needs right now

The circuit recently lost a huge star when Brooks Koepka decided to leave in December. Now, the face of the Korean expansion, Kevin Na, has gone silent on social media. He stopped following his own team, the Iron Heads, which sparked many new rumors. This internal drama suggests that the league is facing a very serious crisis.

The league is also trying to sign new stars from the traditional American tour. Reports claimed that Si Woo Kim was in talks to join the Iron Heads team. However, the South Korean star denied these rumors and committed to the Sony Open. Another star, Sungjae Im, called reports of his move to the league “fake news” recently.

Veteran player Pat Perez also seems to be looking for a way out lately. He recently posted a photo of a PGA Tour cup to celebrate the year. This move comes as he nears his fiftieth birthday and the senior Champions Tour. Perez lost his spot on his team after a very poor season in 2024.

Many players are starting to feel burned out by the league’s global travel schedule. Brooks Koepka mentioned that he wanted to spend more time with his family at home. Golfers are also frustrated because they cannot earn world ranking points in these events. Without these points, it is very hard for them to qualify for major championships. These issues are creating a domino effect that could hurt the league’s future.

Amidst all this chaos, a rising star like Tabuena brings much-needed hope and energy. And that’s what the LIV Golf needs the most right now.