Irish amateurs Max Kennedy and Ryan Griffin are eligible to return to the second LIV Golf Promotions event after details of the open qualifier for the Saudi backed tour were revealed.
In fact, it presents a potential opportunity to a host of Irish players both amateur and professional with 2023 Walker Cup and 2024 Palmer Cup players eligible to compete for the $200,000 winners cheque.
Mark Power, Alex Maguire, Matthew McClean and Liam Nolan were all stars for Great Britain and Ireland at last year’s Walker Cup in St Andrews but none of them opted to play in last year’s LIV Promotions event while Kennedy and Griffin travelled to Dubai to compete and are eligible to do so again after representing the International side at the Palmer Cup in Lahinch.
However, the opportunity to progress onto the breakaway tour is very limited with the number of available spots on the LIV Golf League reduced from three to just one.
The tournament will be staged from December 12-14 at Riyadh Golf Club, with four rounds of stroke-play over three days, including 36 holes on the final day where the top finisher will earn a spot in the LIV Golf League next season. The top 10 finishers, including ties, will earn full exemption into all 2025 events on The International Series, sanctioned by the Asian Tour. LIV Golf Promotions also offers a prize purse of US $1.5 million.
“Those who have competed in the LIV Golf League consistently share similar feedback: the energy, camaraderie, and global competition have created a once-in-a-lifetime experience for players to pursue their dreams at the highest level,” said LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman. “LIV Golf Promotions delivers another pathway for up-and-coming players and top competitors across the globe to experience a life-changing season with LIV, and we’re eager to see who steps up this year in Riyadh.”
LIV Golf Promotions will consist of four rounds of 18-hole stroke play. Starting Thursday, December 12, those who finish in the top 20 and ties from round one will advance to Friday’s round two, where scores will reset, and the field will be joined by a category of players who automatically qualified for day two of competition. The top 20 players following round two will advance to the final day of competition, with scores reset once more for an intense full-day, 36-hole shootout. At Saturday’s conclusion, the winner will earn $200,000 and a highly coveted and lucrative spot in the LIV Golf League for 2025.
LIV Golf Promotions will add to the full-season player field for the 2025 LIV Golf League, with the top qualifier from Riyadh Golf Club and the winner of The International Series 2024 Rankings guaranteed to compete in the League with the opportunity to be signed by a team. American John Catlin, who played as a reserve in six LIV Golf events this past season, currently leads the standings, having recorded one International Series win in Macau, and two runner-up finishes.
“John’s success in a number of LIV Golf events as a reserve this season is proof of the quality of play that we see each week on The International Series,” said Head of The International Series Rahul Singh. “As we crown a 2024 International Series champion later this fall and look to the highly anticipated LIV Golf Promotions, one deserving player will have the chance to punch their life-changing ticket to the LIV Golf League.”
In addition to welcoming players from around the world, relegated players, and those without a team commitment for 2025 who finished in the Open Zone (25th-48th) in the 2024 LIV Golf League standings also have the opportunity to regain their playing rights for 2025. However, only the top finisher in LIV Golf Promotions is guaranteed a spot in the League for 2025 – allowing teams greater flexibility during free agency to enhance their rosters this offseason.
Category A: Qualifiers for Round 1
- Members of the 2023 Walker Cup and 2024 Palmer Cup Teams
- Winner and runner-up of the following last played amateur events:
- US Amateur Championship
- The Amateur Championship
- Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
- Latin America Amateur Championship
- European Amateur Championship
- African Amateur Championship
- NCAA Championship (Individual)
- Eisenhower Trophy (Individual)
- Leading 15 available players from within the top 40 World Amateur Golf Rankings as of November 19, 2024 (excluding players exempt into round 2)
- Leading 25 available players from within the top 40 on the final 2024 International Series Rankings (excluding those exempt into round two)
- Leading 5 available players from inside the top 10 from each of the following professional Tours as of November 19, 2024:
- Japan Golf Tour
- KPGA Korean Tour
- Sunshine Tour
- PGA Tour of Australasia
- Leading 30 available players from within the top 300 in The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR) as of November 19, 2024 (excluding those who are exempt into Round 2)
- Invitations as determined by LIV Golf League
Category B: Exemptions into Round 2
The following players are exempt from Round 1 and are automatically eligible to participate in Round 2:
- Leading 2 available players from within the top 15 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings as of November 19, 2024
- Players ranked 2 to 8 on the final 2024 International Series Rankings
- Top 3 Players from each of the following professional Tours as of November 19, 2024
- Japan Golf Tour
- KPGA Korean Tour
- Sunshine Tour
- PGA Tour of Australasia
- Leading 5 available players from within the top 30 of the Final 2024 DP World Tour and Korn Ferry Tour Order of Merits / Rankings
- Winners of The International Series and Asian Tour sanctioned tournaments in the 2024 calendar year
- Winners of Japan Golf Tour, KPGA Korean Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, Sunshine Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia sanctioned tournaments in the 2024 calendar year
- Winners of PGA Tour and DP World Tour sanctioned tournaments in the 2023 and 2024 calendar years
- Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup participants from 2019 – 2024
- Winners of Major Championships from 2019 – 2024
- Leading 15 available players from within the top 150 in The Universal Golf Rankings (TUGR) as of November 19, 2024
- Players relegated or without a contract for the following season from the final 2024 LIV Golf Individual Standings
- Invitations as determined by LIV Golf League