It has been almost four years since the inception of the PIF-backed LIV Golf. However, professional golf continues to remain divided as LIV Golf and the PGA Tour are still operating in parallel. And they have still not finalized a merger agreement as of March 2026. Now, while this prolonged standoff has kept tensions high in the golf realm, both circuits have incorporated several changes. And now, as the PGA Tour is soon to kick off their flagship event, the Players Championship, a few names from LIV Golf who might have been eligible for the event are creating a buzz.

Stepping into their fourth season, the Saudi-backed league introduced a massive change, which earned them recognition under OWGR. Aiming to earn their golfers the ranking benefits from OWGR, they transitioned from their original 54-hole format to a traditional 72-hole structure. In addition to the format change, LIV has expanded its field to 57 players and increased the prize money tied to its team competition.

On the other hand, the PGA Tour has been looking to promote their $25 million event, and a continued debate surrounding the Players Championship to be referred to as the fifth major has been the talk of the golf town. More so because the TPC Sawgrass has long been regarded as one of the strongest fields in the sport.

However, the absence of LIV golfers due to the PGA Tour’s participation ban continues to fuel discussions. Ironically, several LIV players would statistically meet the qualification standards for TPC Sawgrass.

• Jon Rahm

Before Rahm decided to make the jump to the Saudi-backed league, Jon Rahm was ranked No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) when he finished the 2023 season. As a former World No. 1 and 2023 Masters champion, he maintained a top-three ranking throughout the end of his time on the PGA Tour before his move. 

Furthermore, it was his Masters victory that earned him an entry card to the Players Championship for five consecutive years. However, his affiliation with LIV Golf changes the whole narrative. 

Stepping into LIV, he pulled off a stellar show in the 2024 season by bagging back-to-back winning prizes and concluding as one of the top 10. He even led Legion XIII to a second-place finish. 2025 however, did not secure an individual win. But he still managed to deliver when it mattered to secure wins for his team. And now, after a 17-month-long drought, Rahm is back again as he secured an individual win in LIV Hong Kong.

• Bryson DeChambeau 

Similar to Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, too, secured the qualified card for the Players Championship after he won the 2024 US Open. He defeated the Northern Irish golfer, who is looking to defend his title this year at the Players, Rory McIlroy.

DeChambeau became a part of LIV back in 2022. And since then, his social media fame and his power shots on the greens have indeed made him one of the most influential names in the league. 

While he joined LIV Golf, he was struggling with a hand injury. But he was soon back in the game in the later part of the season. By 2023, he was back in the game, and he announced the same with his performance in the next season. 2024 was defined by his resurgence in the major championships. Not only did he secure a win in the US Open, but finished in the top 10 for three consecutive majors. 

As captain of Crushers GC, he led his team to three consecutive titles and a second-place finish in the season-long Team Championship in 2025. Now, he is looking to continue with LIV as he is committed to the league till the end of 2026 through their contract. And this would take away the opportunity from him to compete in the 2026 Players Championship.

• Cameron Smith

As LIV Golf began its journey, Cameron Smith sealed one of the best seasons in his golfing career back in 2022. In 2022, Smith won the Players Championship, which already would have given him the green light to participate in the event this year. But adding to that, he also bagged wins in the Open Championship and the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year honors in the very same year.

However, shortly after his victory at the 150th Open Championship in August 2022, when he was the highest-ranked player, he decided to join LIV Golf. After joining the league in 2022, Smith pulled off an impeccable season in 2023. He finished second in the individual standings, and as the captain of Ripper GC, he secured two individual wins at LIV Golf London and LIV Golf Bedminster. 

2025, however, turned out to be challenging for the Australian golfer as he finished 18th in the standings, failing to secure any individual win. Now, as he continues as the captain of Rippers GC, he looks forward to having an improved run this season.