Greg Norman’s controversial American LIV Golf star Kevin Na has withdrawn from the Australian Open despite a desperate bid to use the tournament as a back door entry into the Masters.
Na, ranked No.47 in the world, had entered the national championship and was set to join Australia’s British Open champion Cameron Smith, two-time Stonehaven Cup winner Matt Jones and six-time PGA Tour winner Marc Leishman as LIV golfers in the field.
The PGA Tour of Australia will allow the rebel players to contest the event because the DP World Tour, which co-sanctions the Australian Open, is awaiting a court ruling early next year on whether it can ban defectors to the Saudi-backed LIV league.
Na’s world ranking has slid after he resigned from the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf. He would have been indefinitely blocked from contesting PGA Tour events even if he had maintained his membership given the stance taken against LIV golfers.
LIV has yet to be granted official status for its 54-hole, no-cut events, meaning stars such as Smith, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau will see their rankings slide in coming months.
Na needs to be in the top 50 at the end of the year to score an automatic invite to the Masters and is treading a perilous tightrope to make a 12th appearance at Augusta National. He’s finished in the top 15 in each of his past three appearances at the Masters.
LIV Golf star Kevin Na has withdrawn from the Australian Open.Credit:Getty
But he’s told Australian Open organisers he won’t be contesting the event at Kingston Heath and Victoria clubs next week due to injury, further risking his position in the field for Augusta.
The 39-year-old is one of the most polarising figures in world golf, constantly criticised for his slow play, but would have been a major drawcard in Melbourne given his career achievements and the furore over the rebel series.
LIV players Harold Varner III (world No.45), Jason Kokrak (46), Koepka (48) and Louis Oosthuizen (49) are all ranked just inside the world’s top 50 nearing the crucial Masters cut-off. Paul Casey (52) and DeChambeau (57) are just outside.
Leishman said he still wanted to play the Masters, but had accepted he may not after his ranking slid to 71 this week. He has played in the past 30 consecutive majors.
Augusta National is still yet to announce whether LIV golfers will be able to contest the first major of the year, scheduled just two weeks before Norman’s first Australian event in Adelaide.
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