Xander Schauffele’s triumph for his first career Major victory at the PGA Championship at Valhalla gives him an exemption to the tournament for the rest of his life and guarantees an appearance at the other three for the next five years.

But don’t expect him to make the jump to LIV Golf.

Schauffele has been one of the most common names that has almost perennially been linked to a move to LIV Golf. However, making the jump before this past weekend would have been a major risk, no pun intended.

Congrats to #SmashGC fan, Xander Schauffele #PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/oE5IKybhYZ

— Smash GC (@SmashGC) May 20, 2024

Despite Schauffele’s mainstay status as a member of the Top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), the American’s ability to maintain an appearance in the Majors would have been anything but guaranteed if he would have made a jump to LIV Golf before his win at the PGA. The Masters, the Open Championship, and the U.S. Open Automatically invite high-ranking members of the OWGR. 

For The Masters, it’s the Top 50; for the U.S. Open, it’s the Top 60, and for the Open Championship takes the Top 50 as well.

However, LIV Golfers still do not win points for the OWGR scale, and it has resulted in several losing automatic bids to Majors, although it may not be completely representative of their skill. For example, Bryson DeChambeau was ranked outside the Top 100 until his second-place finish this past weekend at Valhalla.

Without his victory at the U.S. Open a few years back, he would not have been invited to the PGA Championship.

Schauffele’s victory at the PGA Championship immediately catalyzed rumors of a potential defection to LIV Golf, especially now that he will be able to play in all the Majors for the next five years. His Dad, Stefan, drew a line in the sand (via Golf Magazine):

“The opposite would probably be closer to the truth. No chance. Xander is not chasing the money. Xander is about legacy. And as my opinion — just as his father — there was never a chance. What we told LIV in Saudi Arabia, with Xander beside me, was that if there is no path back to the PGA Tour and if there is no chance at World Ranking points, we do not have anything to talk about. Even if you throw hundreds of millions of dollars at him. That word still stands.”

Stefan was 4,400 miles away from Xander as he hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy on Sunday afternoon. Despite the distance, the pair are closer than most. 

Even though Schauffele could take a potential nine-figure deal with LIV Golf and play in all Majors for the next five years, his newfound exemption status will not change what tour he plays on.

Cover Image via NBC News