Graeme McDowell may have missed out on a homecoming Open Championship appearance at Royal Portrush this summer but he is still bidding to tee it up at next year’s edition at Royal Birkdale and the Masters.
The Hong Kong Open will feature a stellar field with 31 LIV Golf players set to tee it up at Hong Kong Golf Club from October 30th with an exemption into two of the four majors next year on the line for the winner.
McDowell hasn’t made a major championship appearance since the 2020 Masters while his ten year exemption for winning the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach also expired that year.
Joining McDowell will also be Tom McKibbin who has been in really good form on both the LIV and DP World Tours and might be able to secure a place in next year’s PGA Championship if he can climb back inside the top-100 in the world rankings.
McKibbin has made the cut in three of his four major championship appearances so far but has yet to make his Masters debut.
Defending Hong Kong Open champion Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel and Bubba Watson don’t need an invite to the Masters, their green jackets earn them lifetime entry through the gates of Augusta National while former major winners Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer are also in the field.
Two-time Masters champion Watson said: “With a spot at the Masters and a spot at The Open on the line, there is a lot at stake.
“There will be some tough competition and it should make for some pretty entertaining golf.”
Oosthuizen missed out on a green jacket in a playoff with Watson in 2012 and still believes he has another roll of the dice in him.
“I was lucky enough to win the Open at St Andrews, and lifting the Claret Jug is as good as it gets,” said Oosthuizen. “I didn’t quite make it to the Green Jacket, but I’m eager for another shot at it.
“I haven’t played there for a few years. I love the course in Hong Kong, and I think it suits my game. It’s an amazing city, and now to have the chance to earn a spot into the Masters, it’s a great opportunity. I’m hopeful to come out on top.”
The Hong Kong Open is also part of the International Series on the Asian Tour with a spot in next season’s LIV Golf League up for grabs for the winner not already exempt.
LIV Golfers in Hong Kong Open Field
Talor Gooch
Harold Varner III
Graeme McDowell
Kevin Na
Adrian Meronk
Dean Burmester
Richard Bland
Thomas Pieters
Jinichiro Kozuma
Matt Jones
Josele Ballester
Jason Kokrak
Sam Horsfield
Danny Lee
Patrick Reed
Tom McKibbin
David Puig
Bubba Watson
Martin Kaymer
Paul Casey
Mito Pereira
Chieh-po Lee
Caleb Surratt
Peter Uihlein
Ben Campbell
Louis Oosthuizen
Charl Schwartzel
Anirban Lahiri
Anthony Kim (relegated LIV Golfer)
Luis Masaveu (reserve)
John Catlin (reserve)
Wade Ormsby (reserve)
Ollie Schniederjans (reserve)
Max Rottluff (reserve)
Minkyu Kim (reserve)
