Doubts have emerged over Bryson DeChambeau’s eligibility for next year’s Ryder Cup, with the PGA of America still to announce a pathway for LIV Golf players to appear at Bethpage Black.

Speculation is growing that DeChambeau, who is third in the Team USA qualification standings after winning the US Open in June and finishing runner-up in the previous month’s USPGA, will not be available to home captain Keegan Bradley for the match in New York unless the powers-that-be change the rules.

The same would apply to Brooks Koepka and other big-name US golfers on the Saudi breakaway league, such as Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed.

Koepka became the first LIV player to compete in the Ryder Cup last year in Rome after prevailing at the USPGA and eventually coming seventh in the points standings. Originally, it was believed that the five-time major champion would not be permitted because of his PGA Tour ban, but a wrinkle was discovered in the PGA of America’s regulations and the then-captain of the US Zach Johnson was allowed to select him as a wildcard.

In short, anybody who had paid their yearly PGA dues before June 30, 2022, was in fact, eligible to play in the Italian capital because of an obscure “grace period” that ran to June of this year. However, that loophole has now expired and, presumably, other provisions will need to be made if the rebels are to play.

‘PGA of America need to figure this out’

It is obviously a potential flashpoint, especially as Bradley declared last month that he expects the association that is in charge of the US arm of the Ryder Cup to ensure that all the LIV rebels are eligible.

“I’m going to have the best 12 players [at Bethpage] so the PGA of America need to figure that out, if that’s their problem,” he said. “I know you have to be a PGA [of America] member to play in the Ryder Cup. That’s the only stipulation. So we’ll make sure if some of those guys that we think might make the team, we’ll make sure that they are a member.”