Three spots on the rebel circuit are up for grabs. The PGA Tour had said players would not be suspended for playing the qualifier, although they would need to get a media rights release. Players have to request a release 45 days in advance, which left them no time from when the LIV dates were set and the start of the event.

No players are believed to have received a release for the December 8-10 LIV qualifier.

Still unclear was what punishment, if any, PGA Tour members would face for simply trying to qualify. The media rights release was required because unlike DP World Tour qualifying school, the LIV Golf Promotions events is being streamed by LIV Golf Plus and the LIV Golf YouTube channel.

The nine Aussies in the opening round of qualifying are: Lachlan Barker, Austin Bautista, Andrew Dodt, Scott Hend, Brendan Jones, Zach Murray, Ryan Ruffels, Travis Smyth and Kevin Yuan.

Dufner, who won the PGA Championship in 2013 at Oak Hill and played in the Ryder Cup (2012) and Presidents Cup (2013), was No. 172 in the FedExCup this year. He still would have limited status on the PGA Tour as a past champion.

Chappell, who played in the Presidents Cup at Liberty National in 2017, has been slow to return from back surgery. He had limited starts and finished No.179 in the FedExCup. Chappell was not eligible under the LIV Golf Promotions criteria, though they offered invitations.

Dufner, Chappell and Australians Jed Morgan and Wade Ormsby were among 14 players who received an exemption into the second round.

The first round has 59 players, including Kyle Stanley, Chris Stroud and Jeff Overton. The top-20 players after the first round advance to the second round. Scores are reset, and the top-20 advance to a 36-hole shootout on the last day.

Former Ryder Cup player Victor Dubuisson of France is another player to have signed up for the LIV qualifier