Oosthuizen skips PGA Championship

Oosthuizen was one of 16 LIV players preparing to tee it up at Valhalla in Kentucky, however, has withdrawn from the event due to a prior personal commitments.

It’s a pity that the two-time runner up at the PGA Championship won’t be playing next week, however there will be a hint of old when a handful of LIV Golf players do attack the famous Upland South lay-out.

There will be 15 LIV players at the event with the defending PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka leading the way.

Usual suspects like Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Tyrell Hatton, Patrick Reed and Phil Mickelson are in the field as having qualified, while Andy Ogletree will also be in the field after finishing second in the OWGR’s Federation Ranking.

READ: HERE IS THE FINAL FIELD FOR THE 2024 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

The players that were given invitations to the event by the PGA of America are South African Dean Burmeister, Joaquin Niemann, Adrian Meronk, David Puig, Lucas Herbert and the outspoken Talor Gooch.

It seems like things are shaping up for Koepka to defend is title and add a fifth major to his list of achievements. He’s won the Wanamaker Trophy twice already and will go into next week as a favourite.

Koepka won the LIV Singapore event last week in his final tune-up before his title defence.

World number one and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler will miss this week’s Wells Fargo as his wife prepares to give birth to their first child.

Scheffler could go into next week being a new father and one isn’t sure how that will influence his game.

Jon Rahm has had a poor first season on LIV and isn’t the player that he was last season on the PGA Tour.

The last player to win the PGA Championship at Valhalla is Rory McIlroy, he’s one of two in the field to win a major there, Tiger Woods being the other. McIlroy hasn’t been able to rectify his form and as it stands won’t be a threat at the venue he won his last major at a decade ago.

Hometown boy Justin Thomas will be eager to impress in his home state of Kentucky and might be a factor as he continues to rebuild after a disappointing run of form.

This year’s PGA Championship will be as good a gauge as ever to see the effect that LIV Golf has and the quality of the competition. With more than just previous major winners involved from a LIV perspective it could offer up good insight into the quality of LIV and the PGA Tour.

156 players are set to tackle Valhalla this year making the PGA Championship arguably the best field in professional golf.