Sergio Garcia Misses Another US Open, LIV Golfer Caleb Surratt Earns First Major Slot
Another year of Sergio Garcia dreaming of winning the U.S. Open fades away as LIV Golf young gun Caleb Surratt qualifies for his first major through a sudden-death playoff victory.
- This is the second straight year that Sergio Garcia has not qualified for the U.S. Open.
- Caleb Surratt of LIV Golf secured qualification for his first major event after the playoff.
- There will be 13 players from LIV Golf playing in Shinnecock Hil
Two consecutive years have been marked by Sergio Garcia's failure to secure a place in the US Open tournament. Although the former Masters champion had high hopes of getting back to the prestigious competition by making it to the Dallas Athletic Club qualifier, he did not succeed, despite a runner-up performance at the recent LIV Virginia event.
Garcia's failure was overshadowed by that of one of the youngest LIV golfers. Caleb Surratt managed to prove himself by battling the notoriously tough golfing qualification process and earning his first-ever major spot at Shinnecock Hills.
LIV Golfer Caleb Surratt Beat Sergio Garcia At US Open Qualification
A fight for one of nine places in the US Open was a battle of the toughest kind. Several LIV golfers showed their desire to become a part of the third major tournament of the season. Garcia required three under par to get into a playoff but failed to achieve a desired result, scoring just one under par.
To add to the disappointment, the Spaniard even saw his fellow LIV teammate Josele Ballester missing out on the qualification, too. The winner of the qualifier turned out to be none other than 22-year-old Caleb Surratt, who managed to qualify to Shinnecock Hills after coming through from a six-man playoff tie-breaker.Â
This is indeed the first time that Caleb Surratt has qualified for any major tournament. Other qualifiers for LIV include Peter Uihlein and Graeme McDowell. The latter two being part of the league means that there are three representatives from LIV going into the US Open.
Another Disappointment For Sergio Garcia As He Struggles With Majors
With this particular result, it can definitely be said that Sergio Garcia is having another tough time with major tournaments. Since his triumph in the Masters, he has not been able to do well enough in major tournaments to be counted amongst the frontrunners.
The 2026 US Open lineup will now feature 13 players from LIV Golf, headlined by stars like Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, as the impact of LIV at majors grows stronger.