The top five players on LIV Golf rankings will now be exempt in to the British Open, beginning this year at Royal Portrush, ensuring players have something extra to immediately play for this week in Adelaide. It could boost the number of LIV players in the field to 16, with 11 players already exempt, including Australian star Cam Smith, courtesy of his Open win in 2022 at St Andrews. The move comes after the USGA announced that one player in the top of three of LIV’s points through its first seven events, not otherwise exempt, will earn a spot in the championship at Oakmont in June. At next year’s U.S. Open, the top player among the top three from the final 2025 standings along with the top player in the top three of the spring 2026 standings, not otherwise exempt, will qualify. “The Open is a global championship for the best men’s golfers and each year we review our exemptions to ensure that we offer pathways into the Championship based on results achieved on the leading professional tours,” R&A chief executive Mark Darbon said in a statement. “We acknowledge that players competing in LIV Golf should also have the opportunity to secure places in The Open through its individual season standings as well as existing pathways.” The two major announcements comes as further validation for the quality of players in the league according to new CEO Scot O’Neil, who replaced Greg Norman in charge of the Saudi-backed tour. “We thank Mark Darbon for his leadership and the R&A for taking this step for the benefit of moving golf forward,” LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil said in a statement. “The acknowledgment that competitors from the LIV Golf League and The International Series will have the opportunity to play in golf’s original major is a true testament to the strength of fields and the R&A’s commitment to golf fans around the world.” Eleven LIV players are already exempt into this year’s Open, but not Adrian Meronk, who won the opening event of the LIV season in Riyadh last weekend. The Masters and PGA Championship have not announced open doors for LIV players through any exempt categories. But the PGA traditionally offers exemptions to all players inside the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking, which could include some LIV players. Officials at Augusta also have capacity to extend their own special invitations. LIV officials abandoned their push for world ranking points after it was deemed their 54-hole, no-cut events would not meet required criteria.