LIV Golf’s exemption into the 2026 Open Championship was confirmed Monday by the R&A, with the cutoff date to determine the exemption set after the final round at the new LIV Golf Louisiana on June 28.
The R&A announced its exemptions for Royal Birkdale on Monday, including exemption No. 15: The first player and anyone tying for that place, not otherwise exempt, in the 2026 LIV Golf Individual Season Standings on completion of LIV Golf Louisiana. Blank entry will be made on behalf of the player.
The 2026 exemption is slightly different than the one the R&A announced in February for the 2025 Open, which was awarded to the leading player not already exempt among the top 5 in points. Fireballs GC Captain Sergio Garcia, fifth in points when the exemption was determined, received a spot in the field at Royal Portrush as the four players ahead of him in the standings were already exempt.
For 2026, there is no top-5 limit, and it also includes a possibility of multiple exemptions if the leading non-exempt players are tied in points.
LIV Golf has announced 11 of its 14 events for the 2026 season, with LIV Golf Louisiana scheduled as the ninth tournament. It will be the league’s first event in New Orleans, to be held at Bayou Oaks at City Park on June 26-28.
The R&A also confirmed its Opens Qualifying Series, which will include the LINK Hong Kong Open on The International Series, the set of 10 events on the Asian Tour supported by LIV Golf. The Hong Kong Open is one of three tournaments added to the Qualifying Series following last month’s joint announcement by The R&A and Augusta National to align qualification criteria for The Open and the Masters.
The Hong Kong Open, won last year by 4Aces GC’s Patrick Reed, is set for Oct. 30-Nov. 2.
In addition, LIV Golf players will have other opportunities to secure entry into golf’s oldest major through other Open Qualifying Series events – including the Australian Open and South African Open – as well as regional and final qualifying.
Seven LIV Golf players from this year’s full-time roster are already exempt for the 2026 Open – Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen , Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and Henrik Stenson. Two other players – Tyrrell Hatton (5th) and Reed (17th) – are inside the top 25 of the current Race to Dubai rankings; the top 25 in the final rankings receive exemptions.
The 154th Open is set for July 16-19 at Royal Birkdale.