Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Henrik Stenson and Dustin Johnson have won the first four LIV Golf events, while Johnson's 4 Aces side - also containing Patrick Reed, Pat Perez and Taylor Gooch - have topped the team competition three times already this season
Tuesday 13 September 2022 12:55, UK
The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series has reached its halfway point, with the fifth of the eight scheduled events set to take place at Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago this week.
The Saudi-backed circuit has caused controversy within the golfing world since its launch this year, with the PGA Tour suspending indefinitely players who elected to compete in LIV Golf events.
Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter were among the first wave of players to join the series, consisting of 54-hole events limited to a 48-man field, with Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Champion Golfer of the Year Cameron Smith all signing since.
Eligible LIV Golf members can currently still compete on the DP World Tour, with Poulter one of 15 golfers to travel from the LIV Golf event in Boston to play at the BMW PGA Championship last week, with fines and sanctions for joining the breakaway tour temporarily lifted until a hearing next February.
There have been no additional signings for this week's LIV Golf event, with 46 of the 48-man field returning from the Boston tournament earlier this month and the two changes being golfers who have already competed on the tour this season.
Henrik Stenson returns from injury to replace Shergo Al Kurdi in Majesticks GC, while David Puig comes in for Spain's Adrian Otaegui in the roster and joins Torque GC after turning professional this week.
The series launched in June at Centurion Club near London, with South Africa's Charl Schwartzel winning the individual event as well as being part of Stinger GC who cruised to victory in the team contest. Schwartzel's double success saw the former Masters champion pick up a total of $4.75m in prize money, including $4m for the individual prize.
Another South African, Branden Grace, prevailed in the second tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland with 4 Aces GC, consisting of Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez snaffling the team prize.
The big controversy ahead of the third tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster was the decision of Henrik Stenson to switch to the Greg Norman-fronted tour, with the Swede being stripped of the Ryder Cup captaincy as a result.
Stenson's move paid instant dividends for him, though, as he earned a bumper $4m payday by winning the tournament by two strokes, with 4 Aces once again taking the team honours.
The series remained in the United States for the fourth tournament, with another six new names in the field, the most controversial of them being Open champion Cameron Smith, who had confirmed his long-rumoured switch after the Tour Championship.
Smith tied for fourth place at The International in Boston, finishing just one shot behind Johnson, and two fellow newcomers in Anirban Lahiri and Joaquin Niemann, with Johnson prevailing after the first play-off in the series. The American also added $750,000 to his $4m pay packet with another victory for 4 Aces in the team event.
The win elevated Johnson to the top of the individual standings with 94 points, ahead of Grace (77), Carlos Ortiz (48), Talor Gooch (48) and Matthew Wolff (47). The top three finishers at the end of the seven-event regular season will receive bonuses from the $30m purse, with the winner taking $18m and the runner-up earning $8m.
Event One - June 9-11 - Centurion Golf Club, England
Individual winner - Charl Schwartzel (-7). Team winner - Stinger GC (-20)
Teams
4 Aces GC - Dustin Johnson, Shaun Norris, Oliver Bekker, Kevin Yuan
Cleeks GC - Martin Kaymer, Pablo Larrazabal, JC Ritchie, Ian Snyman
Crushers GC - Peter Uihlein, Richard Bland, Phachara Khongwatmai, Travis Smyth
Fireballs GC - Sergio Garcia, David Puig (AM), James Piot, Jediah Morgan
HY Flyers GC - Phil Mickelson, Justin Harding, Ratchanon 'TK' Chantananuwat (AM), Chase Koepka
Iron Heads GC - Kevin Na, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Hideto Tanihara, Viraj Madappa
Majesticks GC - Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield, Laurie Canter
Niblicks GC - Graeme McDowell, Bernd Wiesberger, Turk Pettit, Oliver Fisher
Punch GC - Wade Ormsby, Matt Jones, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Blake Windred
Smash GC - Sihwan Kim, Scott Vincent, Jinichiro Kozuma, Itthipat Buranatanyarat
Stinger GC - Louis Oosthuizen, Hennie du Plessis, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace
Torque GC - Talor Gooch, Hudson Swafford, Adrian Otaegui, Andy Ogletree
Event Two - June 30-July 2 - Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, Portland, USA
Individual winner - Branden Grace (-13). Team winner - 4 Aces GC (-23)
Teams
4 Aces GC - Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez
Cleeks GC - Martin Kaymer, Scott Vincent, Ian Snyman, Turk Pettit
Crushers GC - Bryson DeChambeau, Shaun Norris, Justin Harding, Peter Uihlein
Fireballs GC - Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
HY Flyers GC - Phil Mickelson, Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Wolff, Itthipat Buranatanyarat
Iron Heads GC - Kevin Na, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai, Sihwan Kim
Majesticks GC - Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield, Laurie Canter
Niblicks GC - Graeme McDowell, Hudson Swafford, Travis Smyth, James Piot
Punch GC - Wade Ormsby, Matt Jones, Jediah Morgan, Blake Windred
Smash GC - Brooks Koepka, Adrian Otaegui, Richard Bland, Chase Koepka
Stinger GC - Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Henni du Plessis
Torque GC - Hideto Tanihara, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Yuki Inamori, Jinichiro Kozuma
Event Three - July 29-31 - Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, USA
Individual winner - Henrik Stenson (-11). Team winner - 4 Aces GC (-25)
Teams:
4 Aces GC - Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez
Cleeks GC - Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Laurie Canter, David Puig (AM)
Crushers GC - Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Shaun Norris
Fireballs GC - Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
HY Flyers GC - Phil Mickelson, Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Wolff, Justin Harding
Iron Heads GC - Kevin Na, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai, Scott Vincent
Majesticks GC - Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Sam Horsfield
Niblicks GC - Graeme McDowell, Hudson Swafford, James Piot, Turk Pettit
Punch GC - Wade Ormsby, Matt Jones, Travis Smyth, Jediah Morgan
Smash GC - Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak, Richard Bland, Chase Koepka
Stinger GC - Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Henni du Plessis
Torque GC - Hideto Tanihara, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Yuki Inamori, Jinichiro Kozuma
Event Four - September 2-4 - The Oaks Golf Course at The International, Boston, USA
Individual winner - Dustin Johnson (-15, play-off). Team winner - 4 Aces GC (-32)
Teams:
4 Aces GC - Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez
Cleeks GC - Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Laurie Canter, Richard Bland
Crushers GC - Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri
Fireballs GC - Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
HY Flyers GC - Phil Mickelson, Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Wolff, Cameron Tringale
Iron Heads GC - Kevin Na, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai, Sihwan Kim
Majesticks GC - Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sam Horsfield, Shergo Al Kurdi
Niblicks GC - Harold Varner III, Hudson Swafford, James Piot, Turk Pettit
Punch GC - Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Wade Ormsby, Matt Jones
Smash GC - Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak, Peter Uihlein, Chase Koepka
Stinger GC - Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Shaun Norris
Torque GC - Joaquin Niemann, Scott Vincent, Adrian Otaegui, Jediah Morgan
Event Five - September 16-18 - Rich Harvest Farms Golf, Chicago, USA
Teams:
4 Aces GC - Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, Pat Perez
Cleeks GC - Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Laurie Canter, Richard Bland
Crushers GC - Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri
Fireballs GC - Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
HY Flyers GC - Phil Mickelson, Bernd Wiesberger, Matthew Wolff, Cameron Tringale
Iron Heads GC - Kevin Na, Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai, Sihwan Kim
Majesticks GC - Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Sam Horsfield
Niblicks GC - Harold Varner III, Hudson Swafford, James Piot, Turk Pettit
Punch GC - Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Wade Ormsby, Matt Jones
Smash GC - Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak, Peter Uihlein, Chase Koepka
Torque GC - Joaquin Niemann, Scott Vincent, David Puig, Jediah Morgan
Stonehill Golf Club in Bangkok will be the venue from October 7-9 and Royal Greens Golf Club - the site of the Saudi International in recent years - hosts the following week, with the season-ending Team Championship at Trump National Doral Miami from October 27-30.
The format changes in the Team Championship, which is a seeded four-day, four-round, match play knockout tournament. The top four seeds automatically receive a bye through the first round, with the remaining eight teams playing against each other to see who reaches the quarter-finals.
LIV Golf has announced that the LIV Golf League will officially launch in 2023 with 48 players and 12 established team franchises competing in a 14-tournament schedule.
The full slate of events will be announced at a later date and is expected to expand LIV Golf's global footprint across North and Latin Americas, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe.
