5 golfers who didn't join LIV Golf now fighting to keep PGA Tour status
The completion of last week's Wyndham Championship saw the PGA Tour 's regular FedEx Cup season come to a close, with the top 70 making it to the first week of the playoffs at the upcoming FedEx St Jude Championship.
Ahead of the 2024 season, the PGA Tour has made a whole host of changes as to how players at the latter end of the seasonal standings can secure a spot for the following campaign. Whilst the top 70 compete in the playoffs, those who missed the cut will compete in a number of events across the FedEx Cup fall.
Players will carry over their FedEx Cup points from the regular season into the fall, with the top 125 being handed exemption to play in every full field event (excludes designated events apart from the Players Championship ) in 2024.
Those who then go on to finish outside the top 125 - but inside the top 150 - are forced to settle with conditional playing status. As the first fall event at next month's Fortinet Championship approaches, here is a look at some of the big names who could well miss out on regaining their full PGA Tour card, and rue the decision to not team up with the LIV Golf setup.
Danny Willett
Danny Willett 's exemption for winning the Masters has now ended, and the Englishman will now be hoping on maintaining his full card by finishing inside the top 125 this fall. As things stand Willett finds himself comfortably inside the cut line in 84th, but will be more than aware of those chasing behind him and falling down the list.
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Danny Willett won the Masters in 2016 (AFP/Getty Images)The green jacket winner was set to lose full exemption last season, but was spared after the move of five players to the LIV Golf circuit saw him move back inside the top 125, earning another season on Tour.
Jimmy Walker
Jimmy Walker is another man who benefited from the formation of LIV Golf. Like Willett he is also major champion, having won the 2016 PGA Championship. At the end of 2022 though his time as a full PGA Tour card holder was coming to an end.
Despite this, the removal of LIV players from the Tour's all-time money list saw Walker move into 50th, earning him a golden ticket into the 2022-23 season, with the circuit's top-50 all-time earners handed a one-year playing exemption. Walker opted to use that this season, but is once again at threat of losing his spot as he sits 124th in the standings.
Zach Johnson
The third major champion on the list is American Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson. Like Walker, Johnson opted to use his money list exemption to continue playing this campaign. With plenty going on off the course for the U.S. skipper, things have not gone to plan on the course as he currently sits 153rd in the standings.
Zach Johnson is in charge of the U.S. Ryder Cup team (Getty Images)Johnson will have the option to use a second exemption due to his earnings status, having found himself inside the top 25.
Alex Noren
Alex Noren has announced himself as one of Europe's hottest stars on American soil throughout his career, but the Swede is now in danger of losing hold of his full PGA Tour card. Noren currently finds himself ranked in 101st in the FedEx Cup standings, and knows he can not let himself slip outside of the coveted top 125 ahead of his events in the fall.
Charley Hoffman
One man who knows the FedEx Cup playoffs better than most is American star Charley Hoffman. Hoffman had competed in every edition of the playoffs up until last campaign. For the second year on the bounce the 46-year-old one again missed the top 70 and now sits 137th.
Like Walker, Hoffman opted to maintain his card for the 2022-23 campaign thanks to his money list exemption, but ahead of 2024 this luxury has expired.
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