The LIV Golf collection is making ready for its seventh event this week with the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah.
It was rookie Spaniard Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra who claimed victory final trip in Bangkok, justifying his transfer to affix from faculty and spurn the standard path to the PGA Tour – for now, a minimum of.
While Dustin Johnson is the inaugural particular person champion, successful out within the factors race to gather $18 million for his efforts. After creating waves with the signing of Open champion Cameron Smith, lured over from the PGA Tour alongside Joaquin Niemann, Harold Varner III, Cameron Tringale, Marc Leishman and Anirban Lahiri, LIV Golf continues its march in the direction of its season finale in Miami.
Dustin Johnson received in Boston in what could possibly be described as essentially the most compelling golf but from LIV Golf, earlier than Cameron Smith was victorious in Chicago in simply his second outing. This time there is additionally the likes of Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Sergio Garcia all aiming to hit the jackpot with $4m for the winner.
What is LIV Golf?
Reports of a brand new breakaway league first emerged in 2019 however gathered tempo final yr as two-time Open champion Greg Norman turned the face of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series as its chief govt.
With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund financing the collection, there is a transparent hyperlink to the Saudi Arabia authorities, whose report on human rights has been criticised by teams reminiscent of Amnesty International.
But what for a very long time was thought of to be a bargaining menace to the standard PGA and DP World Tours and nothing extra, took form because the LIV Golf Series, which additionally options new competitors guidelines and what match organisers say is an “exciting” new format.
What are the principles?
LIV Golf Series occasions will likely be performed over three days and 54 holes, somewhat than the standard four-day occasions with 72 holes. There received’t be a reduce, both, so the 48 gamers who begin the week will play all three rounds.
There will even be particular person and crew competitions throughout the similar event. The particular person competitors will likely be received by the participant who shoots the bottom rating over 54 holes, as regular.
The crew competitors, nonetheless, will likely be made up of 12 groups of 4 gamers, with crew captains deciding on the groups utilizing a ‘snake draft’ forward of every event. Teams will even have their very own distinctive names and logos.
In phrases of scoring, one of the best two particular person scores will rely in the direction of the crew’s general whole throughout the opening two rounds, with one of the best three scores combining on the third and remaining spherical. The crew with the bottom general rating on the finish of the third spherical would be the winner.
How will the season work and the place is the next event?
Jeddah would be the seventh of the seven ‘regular’ occasions this yr with the crew championship forming the ultimate event of the season at Doral in Miami in October.
The crew championship will see all 12 groups seeded and a four-day knockout match will likely be performed utilizing match play scoring to find out the winner, with a championship match going down on the ultimate day.
Dustin Johnson was topped as the person champion for factors gathered over the ‘regular season’ occasions.
When is the Jeddah event?
The 54-hole match will start on Friday 14 October and run by way of to Sunday 16 October. The first spherical begins at 10:00am BST) at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club within the King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia.
Who is enjoying?
The largest names initially included Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel and Kevin Na. However, after its first event, LIV Golf added main champions Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed to its ranks, earlier than tempting 2016 Open champion Henrik Stenson throughout forward of Bedminster – at which level the Swede was stripped of the Ryder Cup captaincy. Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann have been the headline names from the ultimate spherical of recruitment for this season and make their second appearances in Chicago.
What are the groups and who is within the area?
4 Aces |
Dustin Johnson |
Pat Perez, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch |
Cleeks |
Martin Kaymer |
Graeme McDowell, Richard Bland, Laurie Canter |
Crushers |
Bryson DeChambeau |
Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri |
Fireballs |
Sergio Garcia |
Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra |
Hy Flyers |
Phil Mickelson |
Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Wolff, Cameron Tringale |
Iron Heads |
Kevin Na |
Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phacara Khongwatmai, Sihwan Kim |
Majesticks |
Lee Westwood |
Ian Poulter, Sam Horsfield, Henrik Stenson |
Niblicks |
Bubba Watson (non-playing) |
Harold Varner III, Hudson Swafford, James Piot, Turk Petit |
Punch |
Cameron Smith |
Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Wade Ormsby |
Smash |
Brooks Koepka |
Jason Kokrak, Peter Uihlein, Chase Koepka |
Stinger |
Louis Oosthuizen |
Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Shaun Norris |
Torque |
Joaquin Niemann |
Scott Vincent, Hideto Tanihara, Jediah Morgan |
Is it on TV?
LIV Golf has but to be picked up by a significant broadcaster within the UK.
However, the motion is stay streamed without cost on the LIV Golf YouTube channel and Facebook web page.
How a lot is the prize cash?
Each common season event could have a prize fund of $25m – each participant within the area receives a reduce, with a assured $4m for first and $120,000 for final place. Of the $25m, $5m will likely be break up between the highest three groups.
The high three gamers within the general particular person championship will obtain a break up of $30m, with the general champion taking $18m, the runner-up receiving $8m and third place getting $4m.
The season-ending crew championship has a prize fund of $50m, with the successful crew splitting $16m and the crew who finishes final receiving $1m. Each participant receives a 25 per cent reduce.
By comparability, the winner of the PGA Championship, one of golf’s 4 majors, receives $3m out of a complete prize fund of $15m.
Individual prize cash
- $4,000,000
- $2,125,000
- $1,500,000
- $1,050,000
- $975,000
- $800,000
- $675,000
- $625,000
- $580,000
- $560,000
- $540,000
- $450,000
- $360,000
- $270,000
- $250,000
- $240,000
- $232,000
- $226,000
- $220,000
- $200,000
- $180,000
- $172,000
- $170,000
- $168,000
- $166,000
- $164,000
- $162,000
- $160,000
- $158,000
- $156,000
- $154,000
- $152,000
- $150,000
- $148,000
- $146,000
- $144,000
- $142,000
- $140,000
- $138,000
- $136,000
- $134,000
- $132,000
- $130,000
- $128,000
- $126,000
- $124,000
- $122,000
- $120,000
Team prize cash
- $3,000,00
- $1,500,000
- $500,000
Regular season standings
1 |
Dustin Johnson |
121 |
2 |
Branden Grace |
79 |
3 |
Patrick Reed |
76 |
4 |
Cameron Smith |
56 |
5 |
Charl Schwartzel |
55 |
6 |
Carlos Ortiz |
50 |
7 |
Matthew Wolff |
50 |
8 |
Peter Uihlein |
49 |
9 |
Louis Oosthuizen |
49 |
10 |
Talor Gooch |
49 |
11 |
Sergio Garcia |
44 |
12 |
Joaquin Niemann |
42 |
13 |
Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra |
41 |
14 |
Henrik Stenson |
40 |
15 |
Paul Casey |
40 |
Regular season crew standings
RANK | TEAM | POINTS |
---|---|---|
1 |
4 Aces |
140 |
2 |
Crushers |
80 |
3 |
Stinger |
72 |
4 |
Fireballs |
69 |
5 |
Majesticks |
59 |
6 |
Torque |
34 |
7 |
Iron Heads |
32 |
8 |
Smash |
30 |
9 |
Hy Flyers |
29 |
10 |
Cleeks |
20 |
11 |
Punch |
16 |
12 |
Niblicks |
13 |
A bye for the highest 4 groups is out there for Day 1 of the Team Championship at Trump National Doral.
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