Jon Rahm’s LIV Golf move leads to PGA Tour suspension, saves China’s Carl Yuan from Q-school lottery
- Ban removes Rahm from points list, lifting Yuan to No 125 and allowing him to keep Tour card for 2024 season
- Mackenzie Hughes gets big boost, moving to No 50, making eligible for all seven of the US$20 million signature events
The PGA Tour has notified Jon Rahm he has been suspended for signing with Saudi-funded LIV Golf, a formality that is more about the benefits to the players Rahm leaves behind.
Mackenzie Hughes and Carl Yuan are the immediate beneficiaries of Rahm’s decision last week to sign with the rival league.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan in a memo to players Monday afternoon said Rahm’s suspension “due to his association with a series of unauthorised tournaments” removes his name from the FedEx Cup eligibility points list.
That means Hughes goes from No 51 to No 50, and now is eligible for all seven of the $20 million signature events in 2024. It also means Yuan, who was signed up for Q-school this week, moves up one spot to No 125 and has a full PGA Tour card for next year.
The tour last year distinguished between the FedEx Cup standings and a separate list related to eligibility for the postseason and for status. The distinction was so players defecting to LIV would not have a negative impact on those who stayed behind.
Among those who benefited last year were Rickie Fowler, who got into the postseason because of all the players who left for LIV; and Jimmy Walker and Rory Sabbatini, who moved up on the career money list and were able to use one-time exemptions to keep full status.
