USGA CEO Shares Honest Take on LIV Golf, Tiger Woods and Golf’s New Era

U.S Open’s latest exemption allows the highest-ranked player inside the top 3 of LIV’s individual standings at the end of the 2025 season and as of May 18, 2026, to feature at the major, unless they’re already qualified.

Whan detailed the thought process behind the move, saying, “So, when we said, ‘Let’s take a look at who the top player is, and then we’ll actually even take that down to top three, if there aren’t any otherwise qualified,’ that felt right, still feels right.”

However, with LIV Golf’s future looking uncertain, Whan said, “What happens to LIV in the future? We look at our exemptions and our road to the U.S. Open every year. We’ll see what LIV looks like in a couple years and make the same decision we made a couple years ago.”

With everyone having a different opinion regarding the LIV Golfers’ reintroduction into the PGA tour, only time will tell what the future holds for them. 

As for golf as a whole, new stars are rising and replacing the former icons. Whan also touched upon this issue with reference to Woods.

Mike Whan On Tiger Woods And The New Era of Golf

Before becoming the eighth chief executive of the USGA, Whan served as the commissioner of the LPGA from January, 2010 to June, 2021. Hence, it can be safely said that he has seen the transition of eras in the sport.

Describing his experience of the evolution of the sport, he said, “Athletes step up, and now we’re talking about Nelly Korda’s run or Jeeno Thitikul. It just happens. So, when you say no Tiger or Phil, I’ll never think about the 2026 Masters as that. I’ll think about it as the year that Rory threw a back-to-back on us.”

He continued, “That’s what happens in sports. The next big ones step up, and the big ones are stepping up in the men’s and women’s game as well.”

Whan’s statement is fully backed by the continuous breaking of records by emerging, young players. Golf keeps evolving, and so do the players.

With Woods’ influence fading, players like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy take control of the realm and are bringing about a new era in the sport.