Two LIV Golf players are in the field for the IRS Prima Malaysian Open on the Asian Tour this week – here’s why.
The upcoming tournament in the Open Qualifying Series is scheduled to take place this week, featuring the Asian Tour’s IRS Prima Malaysian Open. In addition to the substantial $1m prize fund and the opportunity to earn world ranking points, there are also coveted spots available for this year’s Major at Royal Troon. These spots will be awarded to the top three finishers who are not already exempt.
Currently, none of the participants in the tournament have qualified for the Major, which means that any of the 150 players have a chance to secure a place. Among those competing at the Mines Resort & Golf Club are David Puig and Sam Horsfield, both representing LIV golf.
Puig, a golfer from Spain, has only made one appearance in a Major throughout his career. However, he displayed promising performance during that event, finishing at an encouraging T39 in last year’s US Open held at Los Angeles Country Club.
Englishman Horsfield possesses a significantly greater amount of Major experience, having made eight starts in total. This includes a commendable T67 finish at the 2021 Open, followed by a second appearance at the prestigious tournament for its 150th edition at St Andrews. However, on that particular occasion, he unfortunately missed the cut.
Unless there is a change in the world rankings that allows LIV Golf to allocate points to its players, it will become increasingly challenging for many of its talented stars to qualify for Majors, especially those who have yet to secure a victory.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that Puig, who earned his spot in the field through his first professional triumph at the 2023 International Series Singapore, and Horsfeld, who received a tournament invitation, are eagerly seizing the opportunity to secure a place at The Open.
Following two consecutive events to kick off the LIV Golf League season, the next tournament is scheduled for 1 March in Saudi Arabia. This means that the players will also have ample time to recover after their exertions in the Far East.
The Open Qualifying Series has seen its third tournament, following the Joburg Open and ISPS Handa Australian Open from last year. In the first tournament, Dean Burmester, a golfer from LIV, secured his spot at Royal Troon by emerging victorious, alongside Darren Fichardt and Dan Bradbury.
Shortly after, Joaquin Niemann, another player from the circuit, triumphed in Australia, earning his place at The Open, along with Rikuya Hoshino and Adam Scott.
As the weekend comes to a close, both Puig and Horsfield will anxiously await to see if they have made it onto the list for the 152nd edition of this prestigious Major, scheduled to take place from 18 to 21 July.
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