The United States Golf Association – the official governing body of professional golf in the United States and Mexico, recently announced there would be U.S. Open exemptions based on LIV Golf standings, but what exactly does this mean?
Let’s dive in to find out more and whether this will be the only exemption or the first of a wave.
What is the U.S. Open’s new LIV Golf exemption criteria?
The U.S. Open golf competition recently became the world’s first major to create a direct route for LIV Golf players.
In early February 2025, it came to light that this new exemption classification will automatically award one guaranteed position to the player with the most points out of the top three at the top of the leaderboard (LIV Golf Individual Standings) at LIV’s halfway point in 2025, as of May 19, provided that player doesn’t already have an exemption.
In other words, LIV golfers now have access to their own direct route to the U.S. Open, thanks to the new qualification criteria.
The upcoming U.S. Open is taking place this year from June 12 to 15 at the Oakmont Country Club. According to further reports, the new exemption classification will be extended to two spots in 2026, allowing two LIV golfers automatic entry into the U.S. Open in 2026 rather than just one.
Some are hailing the move as a step in the right direction towards fixing the rift that occurred between the Saudi-backed golfing competition and the United States Golf Association when the new breakaway tour launched in 2022.
What are the biggest upcoming golf competitions in 2025, and where can I bet on them if I live in South Africa?
The biggest upcoming Majors golfing competitions you can look forward to in 2024 are the following:
Competition: The Masters. When: April 10-13, 2025. Where: Augusta National, Georgia, USA
Competition: U.S. Open. When: June 12-15, 2025. Where: Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania, USA
Competition: The Open. When: July 17-20 2025. Where: Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland
Competition: PGA Championship. When: May 15-18 2025. Where: North Carolina, USA
If you live in South Africa and want to wager real money on a legally permitted online sportsbook, the safest golf betting site you can turn to in 2025 is the official 10bet website.
It’s free to join, and you must be at least 18 years old to bet on this trusted SA sports betting and casino site. When signing up to sites like this, remember to gamble responsibly and set a reasonable spending budget before depositing and placing bets.
Which other major golf events are worth adding to my diary?
Besides the Majors events mentioned above, some of the other hotly anticipated golfing competitions that are still to come are The Ryder Cup in Bethpage Black, New York, USA, from September 26-28, and The Solheim Cup at the Bernardus Golf Club, Cromvoirt in The Netherlands from September 11 to 13, 2026.
As part of the DP World Tour in the UK & Ireland, you also have the Amgen Irish Open in September, the Genesis Scottish Open in July, and the British Masters in August (2025).
There’s also the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, the WM Phoenix Open, also in February, and the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship, both in March 2025. That’s not forgetting the Tour Championship at East Lake in August this year.
Who is poised to win The Majors (The Open Championship) in 2025?
The quickest way to find out which golfer has the best chance of winning The Open Championship this year is to closely examine the latest odds offered by trusted online bookmakers like 10bet.
For example, at the time of writing, Scottie Scheffler is the odds-on favourite to win and is currently priced at around 6.00 in decimal odds (which is 5/1 in fractional odds), meaning he has a 16.70% implied probability rate of winning. The second odds-on favourite at 9.00 (8/1) is Rory McIlroy, followed by third odds-on favourite Xander Schauffele at 10.00 (9/1).
In LIV Gold, Adrian Meronk is the odds-on favourite to win in Riyadh at 2.05 (21.20), followed by second odds-on favourite Sebastian Munoz at 3.75 (11/4).
Final thoughts
Although these highly competitive odds are accurate at the time of writing, the important thing to remember is that they are subject to change at any given moment without prior warning.
Also, just because some golfers have more favourable odds than others, it doesn’t always mean that you are guaranteed to see a profit on your initial wager just because you bet on the favourites.
Finally, remember to gamble responsibly when betting on golf. Also, to give your wagers the best chance at returning a profit, place sensible bets and stay on top of the latest golf news from all the major circuits.
