USGA chief eyes pathway for LIV players in US Open amid golf's 'new world order'

Although Tiger Woods described the latest talks between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) — which bankrolls LIV Golf — as "productive", the anniversary of the framework agreement signed by the two sides in golf's civil war passed last week with no permanent deal in sight.

Jon Rahm's withdrawal through injury means only 12 LIV players will be in the field for the 124th US Open at Pinehurst, with four coming through final qualifying to join those already exempt.

Asked about a pathway for the top-performing LIV players, Whan said: "I think we are serious about that. Exactly what that looks like, I'm not just being coy, we haven't done that yet.

"I also think, if I'm being perfectly honest with you, we've always felt like for the last maybe year and a half that we're always three months away from kind of understanding what the new structure is going to look like.

"So before we kind of react, what is LIV going to be, what's the PGA Tour? So we always kind of felt like we're just about to know that answer, so let's figure that out.

"Now, I think the reason we're being more vocal about looking at that [pathway] for next year is maybe this is the new world order, and if that's the case we wanted to take a look at that.

"I think it's feasible. I don't think it's a huge pathway, but we do offer other pathways through DP World Tour or Korn Ferry Tour, so we know that there's an option to get there."