02 February 2024 , 17:17
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Justin Rose rejected the chance to join LIV Golf when the league first launched in 2022 because he didn't want to miss out on the sport's biggest tournaments.
Former US Open champion Rose, 43, has stayed loyal to the PGA Tour during golf's civil war. Countless big-name players have quit the sport's primary tour to join LIV, a Saudi-backed circuit, over the past few years - including several major winners.
Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Martin Kaymer, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson, Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen have all defected form the PGA Tour to LIV.
The most recent high-profile star to make the switch was Tyrrell Hatton after his Ryder Cup team-mate Jon Rahm persuaded him to leave the PGA Tour. Joining LIV is risky, as players aren't currently eligible for world ranking or Ryder Cup points.
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Players only automatically qualify for golf's four majors - the Masters, the Open, the US Open and the US PGA - if they've won a major inside the last five years or sit high enough in the world rankings. Failing that, they will need to go through a qualifier.
There are other qualification methods - such as being a former champion of a particular major - but quitting the PGA Tour remains a risk. That's why Rose said no to LIV Golf.
"For me it was always I could never get comfortable with the giving up on the childhood dreams of the majors and I just couldn't see that changing anytime soon," said Rose, as quoted by NUCLR GOLF. "I was in a position, a situation where I was having to earn my way into them so I didn't have those long-term exemptions to buffer it."
The likes of Johnson, Reed, DeChambeau and Mickelson missed out on playing in last year's Ryder Cup for Team USA due to their lack of qualifying points. Koepka was the only LIV star involved in the prestigious tournament after receiving a captain's pick.
Tyrrell Hatton is the latest big name to join LIV Golf (Pedro Salado/Getty Images)But LIV golfers are expected to be more involved in the majors and the Ryder Cup over the coming years, as the sport becomes more accepting of the breakaway league. Rory McIlroy, who was one of the fiercest critics of LIV, has admitted he was too judgemental on those who defected. He also wants to see LIV stars, such as Rahm, compete in the Ryder Cup.
"I think at this point, I was maybe a little judgmental of the guys who went to LIV golf at the start, and I think it was a bit of a mistake on my part because I now realise that not everyone is in my position or in Tiger Woods' position," McIlroy told Sky Bet's Stick to Football.
"We all turn professionals to making a living playing the sports that we do, and I think that’s what I realised over the last two years. I can’t judge people for making that decision, so if I regret anything, it was probably being too judgmental at the start."
The 2024 LIV season tees of on Friday in Mayakoba, Mexico. The winner will take home an eye-watering $4million (£3.1m) cheque, with Rahm the favourite to win in his maiden LIV event. In comparison, Rahm received $3.2m (£2.5m) for winning last year's Masters.