Double Masters champ makes LIV Golf claim: "The writing is on the wall"

Bubba Watson says 'the writing is on the wall' with regards to the issues in men's professional golf as he predicted a resolution soon for LIV Golf players to have a pathway to compete at the four major championships. 

Watson appeared before the media on 19 October alongside Dustin Johnson and Joaquin Niemman ahead of the $50m team championship in Miami. 

Aside from admitting he was the 'weak link' in his side and he may take a non-playing role in the future, Watson predicted there will be an alternative route for rival league players to qualify for the majors. 

He also doubled down on Phil Mickelson's claim more PGA Tour stars are lining up to join LIV in 2024. 

"Right now in the short term, there's open spots," he said. "There's interest. There's people calling, texting, even me, and I don't have any pull. So they are asking for help to try to get in the league.

"Phil knows it. We all know it. The high-ups know it, and we are just working through the details right now behind the scenes to see what fits and what makes sense for the league getting better and improving."

Other LIV players have suggested ways for the major championships to approach those playing on the breakaway tour now the OWGR has officially denied their request for accreditation. 

OWGR chairman Peter Dawson claimed the decision was 'not political' and the governing body is 'not at war' with LIV. 

"LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked," he said. "They're just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them."

 

 

 

 

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Bryson DeChambeau previously suggested the top-10 on the LIV money list should be offered spots. 

If that were the case then hypothetically you would see Talor Gooch, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, DeChambeau, Harold Varner III, Johnson, Branden Grace, Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III and Mito Pereira in next year's majors. 

R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers admitted that is an option worth consideration, although it wouldn't be his priority. 

Two-time Masters champ Watson is in agreement with DeChambeau. 

"I've been saying since the beginning of LIV is that we shouldn't go after world ranking points," he said. "We should go after top-10, top-15 on the money list, our points list on LIV should get into majors. Makes it easy.

"These guys are so good. The top-10 this year could play against anybody. You could make a U.S. team, you could make a European team, they could play with anybody, our top-10.

"So that's how you should get into majors and I've been saying that forever. Forget points. Just go straight off the money list, try to get 10 people, or 15 get in; trying to get more people, so 15." 

Asked if he had any concern over the situation not being resolved soon, Watson said: "No. I think it will be coming soon. Again, I have no idea. Nobody has called me and asked me.

"But it's common sense. Writing is on the wall that something is going to change in the near future. And if it doesn't, LIV is going to be pretty good for a long time."

With regards to? "Everything," Watson said. 

Read more:

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• Brooks Koepka daggers LIV Golf teammate: "I've tried!"