Reports: LIV open to more newcomers from International Series

The climb from the Asian Tour's International Series to LIV Golf just became easier, according reports from multiple UK-based golf media outlets on Friday.

LIV Golf officials reportedly decided to guarantee spots on its tour to the top two 2025 International Series point-getters who are not already part of LIV.

Previously, LIV Golf only promised tour status to the top two in the International Series point standings. Thus, when LIV stalwart Joaquin Niemann collected the most International Series points last year, only one golfer received the nod to join LIV.

LIV's new rules are viewed as an offering to the Official World Golf Rank board of directors. That group, whose members hail from the PGA Tour, European Tour and other long-time entities of the sport, have yet to allow LIV Golf events to factor in the OWGR calculations that are used for, among other things, determining which golfers are invited to majors.

By allowing more Asian Tour International Series competitors to become LIV qualifiers, LIV officials hope their tour will appear more open, legitimate and worthy of OWGR points.

The International Series is a 10-event competition that features Asian Tour and LIV players. The Link Hong Kong Open, the eighth of 10 tournaments on this year's schedule, is in progress.

Heading into the Hong Kong tournament, Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent and the Philippines' Miguel Tabuena are the top two non-LIV players in the International Series point standings. Vincent ranks No. 152 in the latest OWGR listing while Tabuena sits at No. 251.

Vincent qualified for his first U.S. Open this year and missed the cut at Oakmont Country Club by 2 shots. He has played in just one other major, when he missed the cut at the 2022 Open Championship.

Tabuena failed to make the cut at the 2016 U.S. Open.

--Field Level Media