2026 has been far from a successful year for LIV Golf.
They lost their Saudi funding, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed left the tour, and a LIV player has not won a major championship since Bryson DeChambeau won the US Open at Pinehurst in 2024.
LIV players have looked out of their depth at the major championships so far this year. They put in a good showing at the PGA Championship, but Bryson DeChambeau has missed the cut at all three majors, and Jon Rahm didn’t make the weekend at The Masters or the US Open.
But the last major of the season, The Open Championship, might be the best chance for LIV players to lift some major championship silverware.
LIV golfers have Rory McIlroy’s advantage at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy’s preparation for The Masters became a huge topic of conversation as he took the lead at Augusta National. He didn’t play on the PGA Tour and instead spent weeks preparing for The Masters. That paid off, as he became the first man to win back-to-back Green Jackets since Tiger Woods in 2002.
LIV players haven’t had the ability to do the same for the previous three majors. They are contracted to LIV and must play all of their events, so they couldn’t do what McIlroy did and take the three weeks off before a major championship.
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But with LIV Louisiana postponed, there are no LIV Golf events between the US Open and The Open Championship. So if they want to, LIV players can dedicate the entire month to preparing for Royal Birkdale.
This means they will be better prepared for this major championship than they were for the others in 2026 if they spend their time wisely.
Jon Rahm follows Rory McIlroy’s schedule before The Open Championship
McIlroy and Rahm have the exact same competitive schedule in the build-up to The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Rahm, along with his LIV teammate Tyrrell Hatton, will be playing at the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club a week before The Open.
McIlroy was seen playing Royal Birkdale in an appearance on Sir Nick Faldo’s social media, where he said he was using the time to familiarise himself with the golf course after some recent changes were made to it.
It’s likely that Englishman Hatton will be doing the same, and so should Rahm, considering his next event is in Scotland.
While the postponement of LIV Louisiana might be a nightmare for LIV Golf, it could be the best thing that has happened to LIV golfers in terms of their ability to win major championships.
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