Former LIV Player James Piot Receives Exemption Into PGA Tour's Rocket Classic

The 26-year-old ex-LIV golfer won the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont and joined LIV in 2022. But after his contract wasn’t renewed, he’s teeing it up in this week on the PGA Tour.

James Piot received an exemption into this week's Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club. / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

James Piot hopes this is the start of a new chapter. 

The 26-year-old, who won the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont, joined LIV Golf in 2022, but after his contract wasn’t renewed last year, he’s teeing it up in this week’s Rocket Classic on the PGA Tour. 

With that, he becomes one of the few players who have played on both LIV and the PGA Tour. 

“Ever since the event was created on the schedule, I wanted to be a part of it,” Piot told the Detroit News. Piot is a Michigan native and former Michigan State Spartan, so the Rocket Classic is as close as he can get to a hometown event.

On Monday, Piot was attempting to open qualify for the event when he got a call from Mark Hollis, Rocket Ventures chief operating officer, offering him an extension into the Rocket Classic. 

“There was a lot of support, and it was one or the happiest calls I’ve made," Hollis told the Detroit News. “He’s somebody we wanted in from the get-go as we were going through the process.

“It had to play out the way it played out.”

Piot played six PGA Tour events in 2022, missing the cut each time and only breaking 75 in four rounds. So he joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit for $6 million, but was suspended by the PGA Tour. 

However, his play on LIV was subpar, and he was relegated by the league. He has since played on the Asian Tour and Korn Ferry Tour after having shoulder surgery in 2024.

Now, Piot has aspirations of playing on the PGA Tour, and the first step is this exemption. He’s happy his new PGA Tour journey is beginning at home. 

“For it to actually happen is the coolest thing in the world,” Piot said. “It’s awesome. Just the fact I finally get to play in the Rocket Classic, it’s a dream come true.”