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LIV golfers still set to play in Ryder Cup if they're eligible or picked

Sport

LIV golfers still set to play in Ryder Cup if they're eligible or picked
Sport

Sport

LIV golfers still set to play in Ryder Cup if they're eligible or picked

2024-09-20 04:43 Last Updated At:04:50

U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau or any other American playing for LIV Golf is eligible for the Ryder Cup because the Saudi-funded tour is now included among nine tours that get PGA of America membership.

Kerry Haigh, the interim CEO of the PGA of America, said Thursday their participation in the 2025 matches or beyond was never seriously in doubt. The organization wanted clarity after recent stories speculating on players' eligibility.

The PGA of America has 25 membership classes, and A-3 membership is for tour professionals around the world.

“Part of the clean-up was those (LIV) events didn't count toward A-3 membership,” Haigh said. “As we have with nine other tours, the PGA of America gives credit toward playing the tournaments."

He said without those credits, players would need to take part in such things as educational activities that no other tour players are required to do. The PGA of America simply added LIV to its list of tours whose players can have A-3 membership.

They still have to pay annual dues, which Haigh said was $120 a year.

The PGA of America statement said, “To ensure the PGA Championship will continue to deliver the strongest field in golf and that the U.S. Ryder Cup team will continue to have access to the best American players, the PGA of America board has determined that LIV Golf players will be eligible for both.”

“Going forward, all LIV Golf players are eligible for the PGA Championship and any American player who qualifies for the Ryder Cup on points or is added to the U.S. team as a captain’s pick is eligible to compete.”

The PGA Championship has invited LIV players the last two years, and Brooks Koepka was a captain's pick for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy. He won the PGA Championship that year and narrowly missed out on qualifying.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley was expecting to have access to American players of any tour.

"I'm going to have the best 12 players, so the PGA of America ... they need to figure that out, if that’s their problem,” Bradley said last month. “I know you have to be a PGA member to play in the Ryder Cup. That’s the only stipulation that you need. So we’ll make sure if some of those guys that we think might make the team, we’ll make sure that they are a member.”

The European tour requires players to keep membership to be Ryder Cup eligible. Jon Rahm is playing the next three weeks on the European tour while he appeals his sanctions for playing for LIV Golf.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Captain Brooks Koepka, of Smash GC, gestures during the pro-am before LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Bolingbrook, Ill. (Mike Stobe/LIV Golf via AP)

Captain Brooks Koepka, of Smash GC, gestures during the pro-am before LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Bolingbrook, Ill. (Mike Stobe/LIV Golf via AP)

Captain Bryson DeChambeau, of Crushers GC, hits from a bunker on the 12th hole during the first round of LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Bolingbrook, Ill. (Matthew Harris/LIV Golf via AP)

Captain Bryson DeChambeau, of Crushers GC, hits from a bunker on the 12th hole during the first round of LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook Golf Club, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Bolingbrook, Ill. (Matthew Harris/LIV Golf via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge sent the ball soaring toward Monument Park and Gleyber Torres tagged up at first base.

“That was disrespect out of Gleyber, man,” Judge said with a smile. “He’s seen me hit 58 of those things this year.”

Judge's first home run of the postseason broke the tension, a two-run, seventh-inning drive that helped boost the New York Yankees over the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 on Tuesday night for a 2-0 AL Championship Series lead.

“I'm a little disappointed in Gleyber for not knowing Judge’s pop there,” Anthony Rizzo said. “We were ribbing him a lot about that. It’s a big swing for Judgey.”

Judge, who entered with just one RBI in the playoffs, hit a sacrifice fly in a two-run second that put the Yankees ahead 3-0 — after Cleveland intentionally walked Juan Soto to load the bases.

“You want to try to get a double-play ball,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “You want to try to get two outs with one pitch.”

Judge, who led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs, was understanding.

“I would probably walk him, too,” he said.

With New York leading 4-2 lead in the seventh, the likely AL MVP drove a fastball at the letters from Hunter Gaddis 414 feet to center for his 14th career postseason home run.

“It was a big swing to kind of give us that cushion,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “The bench was pretty pumped when that happened.”

Judge also was good-natured about Torres' decision to tag up.

“You never know on these windy, chilly nights what that ball is going to do when you hit it to center here,” he said. “but the ghosts were pulling out there to Monument Park, that’s for sure.”

In a matchup of aces who had off nights, Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee got just just four outs in the shortest start of his professional career and an erratic Gerrit Cole was chased after four walks in 4 1/3 innings.

“Just got to do better, got to do better,” the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner said.

Winner Clay Holmes, Tim Hill and Tommy Kahnle combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings.

José Ramírez hit a ninth-inning home run off Luke Weaver, just the second earned run New York’s bullpen has allowed over 23 1/3 innings in six postseason games.

After a day off, Game 3 is Thursday in Cleveland. The Yankees lead the ALCS 2-0 for the first time since 2009 against the Los Angeles Angels.

Torres reached base leading off for the fifth time in the playoffs and had three hits. Rizzo had two hits and is 3 for 7 in two games since returning from a pair of fractured fingers that caused him to miss the Division Series.

Rookie shortstop Brayan Rocchio and right fielder Will Brennan committed run-scoring errors for the Guardians. Rocchio dropped Judge’s first-inning popup, allowing Torres to score.

“No excuse, I need to make that play,” Rocchio said through an interpreter. “I thought I was under the ball and last minute I was leaning towards second base.”

After Cleveland closed to 3-2, Brennan bobbled the ball when he tried for a barehand pickup of Rizzo’s sixth-inning double that caromed off the low wall down the right-field line. Anthony Volpe, who had been on first, sprinted home.

Steven Kwan extended his Cleveland-record postseason hitting streak to 12 games.

Alex Verdugo had a opposite-field RBI double in the two-run second that glanced off a shoulder of left field umpire Vic Carapazza and went down the line.

Cole escaped two-on, one-out trouble in the third and then a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth when pinch-hitter David Fry fouled out and Rocchio took a knuckle curve at the top of the strike zone for a called third strike in a nine-pitch at-bat.

Cleveland cut its deficit to 3-2 in the fifth when Josh Naylor hit a sacrifice fly and, after Holmes relieved with the bases loaded, Will Brennan grounded into a run-scoring forceout. Holmes struck out Austin Hedges on low sinker to leave the bases loaded.

“They kind of made a little push there and we were able to stop it,” Holmes said.

Cleveland went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 runners. The Guardians are 1 for 11 RISP in the series.

“We’re one swing of the bat away from taking the lead in that game,” Vogt said. “We’re one swing of the bat from being right back in it. That is who we are. We don’t quit. We just need to keep being us.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Guardians: RHP Alex Cobb was removed from the roster with a lower back strain sustained in the opener and replaced by RHP Ben Lively.

UP NEXT

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt starts Thursday at Cleveland. He allowed two runs and four hits over 4 2/3 innings in Division Series Game 3, wasting a 2-0 lead before New York won 3-2. He faced the Guardians once this year, pitching five scoreless innings before allowing a pair of runs — one unearned — in the sixth inning of a 3-2 victory. Cleveland wouldn't commit to a starter but LHP Matthew Boyd is a possibility. Bibee's quick exit could allow him to start on short rest rather than in a Game 6.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, left, celebrates with Luke Weaver after Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-3. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, left, celebrates with Luke Weaver after Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-3. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto celebrate after Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-3. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto celebrate after Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 6-3. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)

Cleveland Guardians right fielder Will Brennan catches a fly ball by New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton during the first inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Cleveland Guardians right fielder Will Brennan catches a fly ball by New York Yankees' Giancarlo Stanton during the first inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio misses catching a pop fly by New York Yankees' Aaron Judge during the first inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. Rocchio was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio misses catching a pop fly by New York Yankees' Aaron Judge during the first inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. Rocchio was charged with an error. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) walks toward the dugout after being pulled during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) walks toward the dugout after being pulled during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee leaves the game during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee leaves the game during the second inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series against the New York Yankees Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez reacts after hitting a fly out against the New York Yankees during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)

Cleveland Guardians' José Ramírez reacts after hitting a fly out against the New York Yankees during the third inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo celebrates after hitting a RBI double against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Anthony Rizzo celebrates after hitting a RBI double against the Cleveland Guardians during the sixth inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, hits a two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis (33) during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, center, hits a two-run home run off Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Hunter Gaddis (33) during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Godofredo Vásquez )

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with Austin Wells after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) celebrates with Austin Wells after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning in Game 2 of the baseball AL Championship Series Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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