Defending champion Brooks Koepka among 16 LIV players at US PGA Championship

Three-time and defending champion Brooks Koepka is among 16 LIV Golf players who will contest next week's PGA Championship.

The PGA of America today revealed the names of 154 of the 156 golfers who will compete at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky from Thursday 16 May.

The remaining two spots will go to the winners of the PGA Tour's Wells Fargo Championship and Myrtle Beach Classic. Should a golfer who is already exempt emerge victorious, the PGA of America will go to the alternate list.

Koepka, ranked 37th in the world, recorded his fifth career major last year by winning the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club. He also won the tournament in 2018 and 2019.

Past winners Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington are also among a decorated field as are World No 1 Scottie Scheffler and Irish major winner Shane Lowry.

Woods, a 15-time major champion, won the PGA Championship in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007, while world No 2 McIlroy emerged victorious in 2012 and 2014. Harrington claimed the Wanamaker trophy in 2008.

Scheffler, a runner-up last year at this tournament, and the top 103 players in the Official World Golf Ranking will test their mettle at Valhalla.

In addition to Koepka, LIV Golf supplies 15 other players in the field, the same number as last year and three more than at the Masters.

That list includes world No 5 Jon Rahm of Spain, Tyrrell Hatton (17) of England, Cameron Smith (56) of Australia, Pole Adrian Meronk (63), Australian Lucas Herbert (89) Chile's Joaquin Niemann (91) and Patrick Reed (92).

Two-time winner Phil Mickelson, Bryson de Chambeau, Martin Kaymer and Dustin Johnson are in due to past major wins while Dean Burmester, David Puig, Talor Gooch and Andy Ogletree received special