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PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Modifications are afoot for LIV Golf.
Now in its second yr (third unofficially if you happen to embody the eight-event invitational collection), the 14-event international league led by Greg Norman and financially supported by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund will nonetheless function 54 holes, shotgun begins and a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in prize cash in 2024. However this yr, there’s a twist.
A thirteenth workforce – Legion XIII – captained by world No. 3 Jon Rahm with new gamers like Tyrrell Hatton and 19-year-old Caleb Surratt will debut this week on the season opener at Mayakoba’s El Camaleon Golf Course in Mexico, and so will numerous new components to the league’s format.
“The competitors updates for 2024 mirror a pure evolution of the LIV Golf League format and illustrate our dedication to additional enhancing an thrilling product for the gamers and the followers,” mentioned LIV Golf SVP of Competitors Administration David Benne. “League management will proceed to work with our world-class gamers and groups to strengthen LIV Golf competitors as we transfer the game into the longer term.”
From an elevated discipline dimension to tweaks within the remaining spherical scoring and prize cash distribution, take a look at all of the modifications in retailer for LIV Golf in 2024.
Bubba Watson performs his shot from the eighth tee through the remaining spherical of the LIV Golf Miami golf event at Trump Nationwide Doral. (Picture: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports activities)
That is the large one: no gamers will be capable to conceal on Sunday. Identical to the final two years, every workforce’s prime three scores will depend for the primary two rounds, and the worst rating shall be dropped. Nevertheless, come the ultimate spherical, all 4 participant scores will depend for every workforce within the remaining spherical of every occasion. It’s a easy tweak that may certainly make the ultimate spherical all of the extra attention-grabbing with elevated stress to carry out.
Captain Kevin Na of Iron Heads GC hits his shot from the fifth tee throughout day one of many LIV Golf Invitational – Bedminster at Trump Nationwide Golf Membership on August 11, 2023 in Bedminster, New Jersey. (Picture by Mike Stobe/Getty Photographs)
Talking of stress, not each workforce will advance to the profitable season-ending workforce championship. The highest 12 groups following the ultimate common season occasion of the yr shall be seeded based mostly on their level whole for the yr, however the workforce that finishes in thirteenth place is not going to compete (however will nonetheless attend).
The inclusion of the thirteenth workforce put LIV in a bind with its threesome tee occasions. This yr, the league will debut two wild card gamers at every occasion to extend the sphere dimension to 54 gamers, up from 48 the final two years. Laurie Canter will play as a person for the primary two occasions in Mayakoba and Las Vegas, whereas Hudson Swafford shall be a full-season particular person participant as he returns from a season-ending surgical procedure that stored him on the sidelines for 2023.
LIV remains to be understanding whether or not Canter shall be a full-time particular person or different gamers will take the spot or rotate in for the season. It’s been rumored on-line that Anthony Kim could be a part of the fray on the third occasion in Saudi Arabia, March 1-3, however LIV officers mentioned there isn’t any replace on that entrance as of this week.
Qualifiers Jinichiro Kozuma of Japan, Kalle Samooja of Finland and Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe pose with their medals after the ultimate spherical of the 2023 LIV Golf Promotions on the Abu Dhabi Golf Membership. (Picture: Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf)
Just like final yr, gamers who end 1-24 (Lock Zone) within the season-long factors standings shall be assured a spot on a workforce for the 2025 season. The Open Zone (Nos. 25-48) and Drop Zone (49 and decrease) have been tweaked because of the elevated discipline dimension. In case you’re unfamiliar, gamers within the Open Zone will both must be re-signed by their present workforce or be picked up or traded to a different workforce. These within the Drop Zone shall be relegated from the league and can head to the 2024 LIV Golf Promotions event to attempt to play their method again right into a spot.
It’s vital to notice that captains or gamers with years remaining on their contract are exempt from relegation. For instance, Lee Westwood, considered one of three captains on the Majesticks, and Martin Kaymer, the Cleeks captain, completed in final yr’s Drop Zone, however as a result of their captaincies they’ve each returned for 2024.
Talor Gooch celebrates after profitable the 2023 LIV Golf Andalucia at Actual Membership Valderrama in Cadiz, Spain. (Picture: Octavio Passos/Getty Photographs)
The highest 24 finishers at every occasion will nonetheless earn particular person factors. The change, nonetheless, will include ties. Factors from gamers ending with the identical rating shall be added up and distributed evenly, just like how prize cash is distributed with ties on the PGA Tour. Tiebreakers have been used within the first two years, however will solely be in impact to find out podium positions for the top-three positions.
Prize cash payouts have been barely adjusted to account for the extra six gamers within the discipline, however whomever finishes final will nonetheless take house $120,000.
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