The relationship between the PGA and LIV Golf remains strained despite many efforts for a merger since 2023. Talks have stalled at multiple points and even intervention from the president of the USA hasn’t helped clear things up. The players for both leagues have been in favor of one major aspect of the merger, the ability to play against each other in non-major events again. Given that the players from LIV have split off from leagues like the PGA which barred participation from them. Some players got tired of waiting and are working their way back into the old leagues. That includes Eugenio Chacarra, who is set to play in the Genesis Scottish Open this week.
Path To Scotland
Throughout this season, Eugenio Chacarra has had the goal of earning his Tour card for the PGA by year’s end. He has been doing this by participating in the DP World Tour and has grown his career from there. Not to say he hasn’t during his time at LIV. Chacarra got his professional start in LIV Golf’s inaugural season and played til the end of the 2024 season, but he had some grievances. The OWGR points were a major contention, as the league has yet to strike a deal with the organization. Another is a lack of acknowledgment of his achievements in the league. Chacarra was pushed out of the league and is trying to put his past there behind him while going for his next goal.
Eugenio Chacarra Heading to Scotland
The Genesis Scottish Open is one of the more recent PGA Tour events, in the sense that it has only recently been put on the Tour’s map. It has been jointly held by the European Tour and the PGA Tour since 2022, but the event has existed for much longer. This is also why Chacarra’s suspension doesn’t apply to this event. If it were a purely PGA event, it would be a different story. The Genesis Scottish Open is also the last chance to qualify for the Open Championship. Also known as the British Open, the last major of the year. Chacarra has competed in the PGA Championship, and if he qualifies at the end of the Scottish Open, he can move to the British Open and have a better chance of earning his PGA Tour card. That is the path the Genesis Scottish Open is laying out for Chacarra.
Chacarra Getting a Tour Card
Since leaving LIV, it has been Chacarra’s dream to qualify and acquire a Tour card. That way he can play along with the pros in a league he used to dream about playing in. If he can go through the Scottish Open and make it to the British Open, a Tour Card will be within reach once his suspension expires. He will still be doing the Race to Dubai; this is just another stepping stone in that path. When all is set and done for the year, the PGA may have a new member from Spain.
Main Photo Credit: © Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
