LIV Golf’s Louis Oosthuizen DECLINES PGA Championship Invitation Offer

LIV Golf’s Louis Oosthuizen has declined an invitation to next week’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, the second Major Championship of the golf season.

Oosthuizen was one of the first batch of PGA TOUR pros to defect to LIV Golf a few seasons ago, and has not looked back since. The South African has enjoyed a comfortable life on LIV Golf after a successful PGA TOUR career. It was time to scale back the schedule.

Remember YOU are being robbed by the EIGHT OWGR LOSERS this weekend 🚔

Not only will Talor Gooch not be there, Dean Burmester won’t , and Louis Oosthuizen and this WORLD CLASS GOLF SHOT isn’t allowed either ⛳️

TFOH with the outdated OWGR 🤡🤣✌️

pic.twitter.com/TgOVJRPdHr

— 54 Golf (@_54Golf) April 9, 2024

It appears that technique is still very much in play. According to a report from the Associated Press, Oosthuizen was offered an invitation from the PGA of America to participate in the upcoming PGA Championship, but he declined, citing “personal commitments.” Those commitments were not elaborated upon.

The PGA of America has continued to invite golfers from LIV in an attempt to round out the PGA Championship and make it the most competitive field possible. Earlier this week, Talor Gooch, who has found loads of success on LIV, and David Puig, a member of Sergio Garcia’s Team Fireballs, both received invitations to play in the event, which were ultimately accepted.

In total, 16 LIV Golfers will be playing in the PGA Championship next week, including past winners Brooks Koepka, who will be defending his title, and Phil Mickelson, who won in 2021 at Kiawah Island.

Mickelson is relevant in this story as recently he expressed doubts that LIV Golfers would be willing to continue to show up to Majors. Eventually, LIV Golfers may grow tired of the narrative that their tour does not count toward qualifying for the four Major Championships every year, and because the OWGR has not recognized LIV Golf as a qualifying promotion, it is becoming more difficult for them to qualify for the tournaments.

Phil Mickelson Sends STERN Message to LIV Golf Haters: ‘F*** Around and Find Out’

Mickelson expressed the belief that eventually, LIV Golfers may not want to participate, and the lack of conglomeration between the TOUR and LIV Golf may ultimately become a concern for sponsors as the Majors could just be looked at as another PGA TOUR event:

“Maybe some LIV players won’t be missed. What if NONE of the LIV players played? Would they be missed? What about next year or the year after? At some point they will care and will have to answer to sponsors and television. FAAFO.”

Cover Image via Golf Monthly