LIV Golf Invitational Series Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

LIVE! Watch all the action from the LIV Golf Invitational Series at Boston

Matt Smith — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 10:51:13 +0000

By Matt Smith
LIV Golf gets back in action from Friday at The International Golf Club, Bolton, outside Boston in Massachusetts.

With the field boosted by the arrival of world No. 2 and Open Championship winner Cameron Smith, there will be plenty to keep you entertained over the weekend.

You can watch all the action right here from Friday evening (shotgun start at 9.15pm UAE time):

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There are 12 teams of four players taking part at this fourth LIV Golf Invitational Series event, with Smith lining up with fellow Australian compatriot Marc Leishman for the Punch team, while the likes of Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson will be looking to keep up their good form in the 48-man field. Other newcomers include world No. 19 and top Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann, Harold Varner III (No. 46), Cameron Tringale (No. 55) and India’s top-ranked pro Anirban Lahiri (No. 92). .

The player with the lowest 54-hole stroke play total is the individual winner. In the team competition, the best two stroke play scores in the first two rounds count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores count. The lowest overall team score after 54 holes is the team winner.

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LIV Golf star Patrick Reed to make debut in Asian Tour International Series events in Singapore and South Korea

Matt Smith — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 06:53:08 +0000

By Matt Smith
LIV Golf recruit and former US Masters champion Patrick Reed will compete in the Asian Tour International Series events in Singapore and South Korea over the coming weeks.

The International Series Singapore will be played on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club from August 11-14, while the Lotte Skyhill Jeju Country Club will host the International Series Korea, from August 18-21.

Both events will boast a purse of $1.5 million, with the winner earning US$270,000.

Reed warmed up for his trip to Asia in fine fashion at the weekend by helping the 4 Aces GC side — which included captain Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez — win the team competition at the star-studded LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster, while he was fifth individually.

The American hit global headlines when he won the US Masters in 2018 and is a nine-time winner on the PGA Tour — his most recent victory came at last year’s Farmers Insurance Open. He has also claimed two WGC events during his stellar 11-year professional career, at the 2014 WGC-Cadillac Championship and WGC-Mexico Championship in 2020.

The 31-year-old has competed in three Ryder Cups, with his success in the Match Play event earning him the nickname “Captain America”.

He will join a field in Singapore which includes American Sihwan Kim, who currently leads the Tour’s Order of Merit following two victories this season. He is one of 16 players from the top-20 on the Merit list competing — in what will be the 11th stop of the year on Tour and the third International Series event.

Korean Bio Kim and Zimbabwe’s LIV Golfer Scott Vincent, both first time winners this season and second and fourth respectively on the Asian Tour Merit list have entered as well as Thailand’s ‘LIV-er’ Sadom Kaewkanjana, fifth on the rankings.

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LIV Golf: Greg Norman confirms Tiger Woods turned down offer around $800 million to join series

Matt Smith — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 05:55:44 +0000

By Matt Smith
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman has revealed that golf superstar Tiger Woods turned down an offer “somewhere in the neighbourhood” of $700 million to $800 million to take part in the new series.

Speaking to Fox News’ Tucker Carlson, Norman confirmed that the offer was “mind-blowingly enormous; we’re talking about high nine digits”, as he had previosly told The Washington Post in June.

“That number was out there before I became CEO. So that number has been out there, yes,” Norman said in the Fox News interview, which took place on Sunday at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey, where the third LIV Golf Invitational was held.

“And, look, Tiger is a needle-mover and of course you have to look at the best of the best,” Norman added. “So they had originally approached Tiger before I became CEO. So, yes, that number was somewhere in that neighbourhood.”

LIV Golf has atracted some of the biggest names in world golf including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood — all of whom reportedly was given lucrative signing-on fees.

“I just love the game so much and I want to grow the game of golf and we at LIV see that opportunity not just for the men but for the women,” said Norman.

The LIV Golf Invitational returns on September 2 at The International in Boston.

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LIV Golf Invitational Series Bedminster — full breakdown of each player’s prize money

Matt Smith — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 08:32:02 +0000

By Matt Smith
Henrik Stenson topped the leaderboard and the earnings list at Bedminster, New Jersey, for LIV Golf’s third event.

The Swede’s 11-under score over three days meant he took home the trophy and earned $4 million individually — with another $375,000 coming thanks to his quarter share of the team prize money.

His Majesticks team finished second behind Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces, eight strokes back. DJ, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez finished on a collective 25-under and added $750,000 each to their earnings.

WATCH: LIV Golf highlights

Here is the final prize money from Bedminster

Individual event

1 Henrik Stenson, -11, $4,000,000
T2 Matthew Wolff, -9, $1,812,500
T2 Dustin Johnson, -9, $1,812,500
4 Carlos Ortiz, -8, $1,050,000
5 Patrick Reed, -7, $975,000
T6 Paul Casey, -4, $648,000
T6 Sergio Garcia, -4, $648,000
T6 Turk Pettit, -4, $648,000
T6 Lee Westwood, -4, $648,000
T6 Talor Gooch, -4, $648,000
T11 Brooks Koepka, -3, $495,000
T11 Martin Kaymer, -3, $495,000
T13 Branden Grace, -2, $293,333
T13 Ian Poulter, -2, $293,333
T13 Phachara Khongwatmai, -2, $293,333
16 Sam Horsfield, -1, $240,000
T17 Chase Koepka, E, $229,000
T17 Charl Schwartzel, E, $229,000
T19 Matt Jones, +1, $200,000
T19 Louis Oosthuizen, +1, $200,000
T19 Justin Harding, +1, $200,000
22 Travis Smyth, +2, $172,000
T23 Shaun Norris, +3, $168,000
T23 Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, +3, $168,000
T23 Peter Uihlein, +3, $168,000
T26 Laurie Canter, +4, $160,000
T26 James Piot, +4, $160,000
T26 Jinichiro Kozuma, +4, $160,000
T26 Jason Kokrak, +4, $160,000
T26 Charles Howell III, +4, $160,000
T31 Hudson Swafford, +5, $151,000
T31 Pat Perez, +5, $151,000
T31 Bernd Wiesberger, +5, $151,000
T31 Bryson DeChambeau, +5, $151,000
35 Phil Mickelson, +6, $146,000
T36 Sadom Kaewkanjana, +7, $141,000
T36 Graeme McDowell, +7, $141,000
T36 Ryosuke Kinoshita, +7, $141,000
T36 Kevin Na, +7, $141,000
T40 Abraham Ancer, +8, $135,000
T40 Richard Bland, +8, $135,000
T42 David Puig, +9, $131,000
T42 Scott Vincent, +9, $131,000
T44 Hennie Du Plessis, +10, $127,000
T44 Yuki Inamori, +10, $127,000
46 Wade Ormsby, +11, $124,000
47 Hideto Tanihara, +12, $122,000
48 Jediah Morgan, +16, $120,000

Team event

1. 4 Aces -25, $3,000,000
2. Majesticks -17, $1,500,000
3. Fireballs -12, $500,000
4. Hy Flyers -9
5. Stinger -8
6. Crushers -4
7. Niblicks -4
8. Smash -2
9. Cleeks E
10. Iron Heads +3
11. Punch +7
12. Torque +10

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LIV Golf: Henrik Stenson shines with wire-to-wire Bedminster victory, $4.375 million richer

Matt Smith — Mon, 01 Aug 2022 05:15:06 +0000

By Matt Smith
If Henrik Stenson was wanting to make a statement after a roller-coaster couple of weeks, he could not have asked for a better script as he surged to his first title in five years at LIV Golf Bedminster in New Jersey — only a matter of days after he was stripped of the Team Europe Ryder Cup captaincy.

With emotions riding high, the Swede, who last won at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina, was beaming as he stood on top of the podium on Sunday in New Jersey, with his hands on some siverware once again.

WATCH: LIV Golf highlights

After the tumult of his Ryder Cup removal — just before he announced he would make his LIV Golf debut at Donald Trump’s course in Bedminster — the 46-year-old was all smiles on the last day of July in the New Jersey evening sunshine as he claimed his 22nd career victory.

At the third LIV Golf event of the season in a party atmosphere and music playing, Stenson shot a two-under 69 to take him to 11-under in the three-day competition, two shots clear of Matthew Wolff and Dustin Johnson. His reward was the trophy, the first-place cheque of $4 million, and a confirmation that he remains one of the world’s top players.

“I’m super-proud of the focus I managed to have this week,” said Stenson. “I’ve been working really hard to get my game back in shape, and it’s certainly going in the right direction as we know now.”

THE ICE MAN ?
OUR CHAMPION ?@henrikstenson #LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/WtJJUyZUlM

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) July 31, 2022

In the team competition, Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces are also going in the right direction. The foursome, captained by DJ and including Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch and Pat Perez, won the team title for the second consecutive LIV event. In Portland, they won by seven strokes but rarely seemed threatened. In Bedminster, they won by eight strokes but the issue was in doubt midway in the round.

At one point, Stenson and his Majesticks team — captained by Lee Westwood — briefly held the team lead. At other times, the two teams were tied. But 4 Aces pulled away in the final few holes to take the $3 million first-place prize at 25-under. Majesticks GC finished at 17-under, earning Stenson an additional quarter share of $1.5 million, while the all-Spanish speaking Fireballs finished at 12-under and in third place for the second consecutive event.

“Through 10 or 11 holes, I think we were tied, so it was a lot different,” said Johnson, who was in the final group with Stenson and Reed. “Obviously, I was playing with Pat and we’re all watching the leaderboard and especially watching the team score.

“Today, we knew we needed to play some good golf to finish if we wanted to win this tournament as a team, and also we were both right in the mix trying to chase down Henrik.”

Chasing Stenson, however, proved to be too difficult. He started the day with a three-shot lead over Johnson, and by the first hole, the lead was five, thanks to a Stenson birdie and a Johnson bogey after an errant drive forced the 4 Aces captain to chip back onto the fairway.

Neither Johnson nor Reed could get the putter going, and Stenson never opened the door. His only bogey of the day came at the par-5 15th, and he still walked off with a two-stroke lead.

Credit his 3-wood, a club that he’s leaned on plenty of times during his career and certainly at Bedminster this week in order to avoid the rough and other trouble areas. After one particularly shot in round two, he even kissed the club in a show of appreciation.

“It’s been an important club most of my career I’d say, and yeah, I certainly hit some good ones this week,” Stenson said. “I think the golf course obviously set up nicely for me. It’s a lot of positional play off the tee, and we surely found a big number of fairways this week.

“First day in particular I played really, really solid. Yesterday was a little bit more of a grind, and then today we played pretty good for the most round. It was a little bit wobbly coming home, but we’ll take it in the end, and yeah, the 3-wood didn’t do me any harm.”

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LIVE! Watch all the action live from the LIV Golf Invitational Series at Bedminster

Matt Smith — Sun, 31 Jul 2022 17:45:55 +0000

By Matt Smith
The LIV Golf Invitational Series returns with its third instalment of the innovative tour from July 29-31 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.

With South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace winning the first two events at Centurion and Pumpkin Ridge respectively, Louis Oosthuizen’s Stinger team will be hoping for a hat-trick of individual titles, while Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces claimed the team event in Portland.

You can watch all the action right here from Friday:

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MORE: LIV Golf Bedminster teams revealed
LIV Golf Bedminster: Ready for Round 3
Stenson defends LIV Golf decision
Top agents still calling me: LIV Golf’s Greg Norman

Every team has a team captain who selects his squad. All members of the four-player teams, including the captain, compete in the three-day tournament. The player with the lowest 54-hole stroke play total is the individual winner. In the team competition, the best two stroke play scores in the first two rounds count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores count. The lowest overall team score after 54 holes is the team winner.

Among those making their debuts are 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, former world No. 3 Paul Casey, 11-time PGA Tour champion Jason Kokrak and veteran pro Charles Howell III, one the United States’ most consistent golfers with more than 600 starts to his name.

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LIV Golf: Stat attack — get to know the numbers ahead of the third event at Bedminster

Matt Smith — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 09:05:42 +0000

By Matt Smith
As we get set for the third LIV Golf Invitational Series event at Bedminster, let’s take a quick look at the new faces and all the stats for the New Jersey festival.

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NEW FACES

2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, former world No. 3 Paul Casey, 11-time champion Jason Kokrak and veteran pro Charles Howell III, one the United States’ most consistent golfers with more than 600 starts to his name are all taking their LIV Golf bow. .

HENRIK STENSON
The former No. 2 world ranked Stenson has won 21 times as a professional and amassed 149 top-10 finishes. A marquee member for Europe in international team play, Stenson has appeared in five Ryder Cups, helping lead Europe to victories in three of those competitions (2006, 2014, 2018). Stenson will join Majesticks GC, captained by former world No. 1 Lee Westwood.

JASON KOKRAK
Ranked No. 36 in the world, the 11-time winner as a pro has earned more than 40 top-10 finishes throughout his career. Since September 2020, he has been ranked among the top 50 players in the world, with a ranking as high as No. 20. Beginning in Bedminster, he will compete on Smash GC, captained by four-time major champion Brooks Koepka.

CHARLES HOWELL III
‘CH3’ has amassed 102 top-10 finishes throughout his career, including three professional wins. A former NCAA Division I Champion and Haskins Award winner as the country’s most outstanding collegiate golfer, he has been ranked as high as No. 15 in the world and has represented the United States in multiple international team competitions. Howell III will play for Crushers GC, led by 2020 US Open Champion Bryson DeChambeau.

PAUL CASEY
Casey has won 21 tournaments since turning pro in 2000. In that time, he’s amassed 150 top-10 finishes, including a tie for second at the 2020 PGA Championship and a tie for third at the 139th Open Championship. The English golfer has represented Europe in five Ryder Cups and has annually performed amongst the globe’s best, having been ranked as high as No. 3 in the world.

LIV GOLF BY THE NUMBERS

11 — Major champions (Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell, Phil Mickelson, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, Henrik Stenson)
21 — Combined majors won (7 Masters, 6 US Opens, 5 PGA Championships, 3 Open Championships)
65 — Combined appearances at the Ryder Cup
4 — Former world No. 1s (Johnson, Kaymer, Koepka, Westwood)
5 — NCAA Division I individual champions (DeChambeau, Howell III, Mickelson, Pettit, Wolff)
9 – Olympians (Silver medalist Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Patrick Reed and Bernd Wiesberger in 2016; Abraham Ancer, Paul Casey, Carlos Ortiz, Scott Vincent and Reed again in 2021)
18 — Players with 10 or more professional wins (DeChambeau 10, Garcia 36, Grace 15, Harding 11, Johnson 28, Kaymer 23, B. Koepka 15, Kokrak 11, McDowell 16, Mickelson 57, Norris 12, Oosthuizen 20, Poulter 19, Schwartzel 16, Stenson 21, Tanihara 16, Westwood 44, Wiesberger 13)
22 — Players inside the top 100 of the world rankings

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LIV Golf confirms 2023 plans, with $405m purse, relegation, League and International Series, franchise sponsorships and events across globe

Matt Smith — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 14:50:49 +0000

By Matt Smith
LIV Golf has unveiled its plans for 2023 with a league-based 14-tournament schedule that will travel across the globe, including promotion and relegation, branching into as many as 25 competitions throughout the year, and franchise branding.

The tournaments, with 12 established team franchises of four players each, will take place from North and Latin America, to Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe — with venues expected to be announced soon.

LIV Golf has also revealed its International Series, a circuit of events through a $300 million commitment to the Asian Tour, with ‘LIV-ers’ taking part in numerous events outside the League — taking the top stars already signed up with LIV Golf to locations such as Thailand, England, South Korea, Vietnam, the Middle East, Indonesia, China, Singapore, Hong Kong and across the Americas and Europe.

The top names currently signed up to LIV Golf include Americans Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed, European hitters Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, plus a host of stars from the Asian Tour and beyond.

“In total, LIV Golf will deliver 25 tournaments worldwide in 2023 that will bring value, innovation and new audiences to the game of golf,” LIV Golf said in a statement.

“LIV Golf’s expanding global platform will add a new dimension to the golf ecosystem as we know it, one that provides an opportunity for players and fans around the world to help maximise our beloved sport’s true potential,” said Greg Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf. “Our franchise model will bring new energy and excitement to fans from all corners of the world, establishing a league of teams to connect and grow with. The International Series will attract new talent and offer unprecedented pathways that develop the next generation of stars. LIV Golf is committed to making sustainable investments that grow the game now and for the future, and we are proud to turn these dreams into a reality.”

The LIV Golf League will continue the team and individual competition format in 2023, with players competing for an unprecedented $405 million in prize purses.

Not wishing to clash with already established events such as the four majors and tournaments such as the Ryder Cup, LIV Golf added: “Each season will culminate in a Team World Championship match-play grand finale. The 2023 league schedule will not compete with the majors, international team events or heritage events.”

With a reference to the fallout between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, it added: “The best players in the game will always be able to make their own choices about where to play.”

With rumours of LIV Golf teams gaining sponsors in the future: “Each team will be led by one established Team Captain and will follow a franchise model akin to other sports. Team Captains will compete and have the ability to build their franchises as they see fit in an effort to gain the greatest fan following and sponsor interest.

“LIV Golf League will guarantee open competition with opportunities for promotions and relegations through the LIV Golf International Series, annually delivering new opportunities for international golfers, as well as pathways for amateurs and the next generation of leading players into elite professional golf. This format provides broad exemption categories so a wide spectrum of players can attempt to earn their way into the league. In addition, an end-of-season LIV Golf Promotions event will provide further opportunity for new talent to enter the league.”

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LIV Golf teams revealed as Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces look to defend title in Bedminster

Matt Smith — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 12:26:55 +0000

By Matt Smith
The 12 teams set to compete at the third LIV Golf Invitational Series event at Bedminster, New Jersey are now set.

Dustin Johnson’s all-American 4 Aces took the glory at Portland last time out and the former world No. 1 will once again team up with Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed to defend their title.

Among the 48 LIV Golf players are debutants Paul Casey, Jason Kokrak, Charles Howell III and former Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson.

LIV Golf’s third event of the season is taking place July 29-31 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey — the new series’ second event in the US following the inaugural tournament at Centurion just outside London, and the second competition at Pumpkin Ridge, Oregon.

The LIV Golf Invitational Series features teams of four where players compete as individuals and teams for both points and prize money. Captains and teams are finalised the week of each event, as each tournament in LIV Golf’s first season may showcase a different field.

At Centurion Club, the South African ensemble at Stinger — captain Louis Oosthuizen and fellow South Africans Charl Schwartzel, Hennie du Plessis and Branden Grace, took first place with a total score of 20-under, and Schwartzel claimed the individual glory. While Johnson’s 4 Aces triumphed in Portland, it was another Stinger, Grace, who came out on top in the individual event and took home the $4 million top prize.

MORE: LIV Golf Bedminster: Ready for Round 3
Stenson defends LIV Golf decision
Top agents still calling me: LIV Golf’s Greg Norman

LIV Golf layout for Bedminster

MEET THE TEAMS

4 ACES
The all-American team captained by Dustin Johnson won by seven strokes in Portland after a line-up revision. Newcomers Patrick Reed and Pat Perez were added to the team for Portland while Talor Gooch moved over from Torque. Reed and Johnson tied for third individually, with Reed claiming the podium spot via tiebreaker. Johnson (T6), Gooch (T34) and Reed (T47) all made the cut at the recent 150th Open Championship at St Andrews.

CLEEKS
Captain Martin Kaymer has three new teammates, including former Niblicks captain Graeme McDowell, for his all-European team. Kaymer (Germany) and McDowell (Northern Ireland) have each won a US Open and also have delivered the clinching putts for Europe in the Ryder Cup (McDowell in 2010, Kaymer in 2012). Englishman Laurie Canter joins the team after playing for Majesticks in the first two events. Spain’s David Puig, ranked ninth in the world amateur rankings, played for Fireballs in London.

Paul Casey. David Cannon

CRUSHERS
Paul Casey and Charles Howell III make their LIV Golf debuts in Bedminster by joining captain Bryson DeChambeau’s team. Casey and Howell add plenty of experience, combining for 1,100-plus worldwide starts in their professional careers. DeChambeau and Shaun Norris are the two carryovers from Portland, where DeChambeau made his LIV Golf debut and assumed captain’s duties, finishing solo 10th.

FIREBALLS
The all-Spanish speaking team captained by Sergio Garcia remains intact for Bedminster. Thanks to a birdie by Carlos Ortiz on the final hole, Fireballs broke a tie with Torque to claim the $500,000 team prize for third place in Portland. Ortiz and Abraham Ancer played for Mexico in the Tokyo Olympics, while Garcia played for Spain at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Former amateur star Eugenio Chacarra of Spain made his pro debut in Portland, finishing T-27. Ancer (T-11) and Garcia (T-68) made the cut at the Open Championship.

HY FLYERS
Justin Harding, one of the most consistent performers in the first two LIV Golf events, returns to captain Phil Mickelson’s team. Harding tied for 10th in London while playing for Hy Flyers, then tied for eighth in Portland with Crushers. Matthew Wolff and Bernd Wiesberger remain on the team. Wolff tied for eighth in his LIV Golf debut in Portland.

IRON HEADS
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent will join his third different team after playing for Smashers in London and Cleeks in Portland. Captain Kevin Na and Sadom Kaewkanjana have been the constants for Iron Heads in all three events, with Phachara Khongwatmai joining the team in Portland. Kaewkanjana comes in with momentum after finishing T-11 at the Open Championship — the best finish ever by a Thai player in that major.

Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia. LIV Golf

MAJESTICKS
Major winner and Olympic medallist Henrik Stenson makes his LIV Golf debut in Bedminster by joining captain Lee Westwood’s team. Stenson becomes the team’s first non-English golfer, replacing Laurie Canter, now with Cleeks. Stenson, Westwood and teammate Ian Poulter have combined to make nearly 1,900 worldwide starts in their careers. Majesticks took third place in London and eighth in Portland.

NIBLICKS
Hudson Swafford becomes captain of the new all-American team. Swafford, who played for Torque in London before joining Niblicks in Portland, takes over for Graeme McDowell (now with Cleeks). Peter Uihlein, formerly of Crushers, joins the team, while Turk Pettit returns to the team after playing for Cleeks in Portland. Uihlein joins teammate James Piot as past winners of the US Amateur.

PUNCH
Travis Smyth joins the all-Australian team captained by Wade Ormsby. Smyth will appear on his third different team, having played for Crushers in London and Niblicks in Portland. Smyth, from New South Wales, replaces fellow Aussie Blake Windred. Matt Jones (T16) was the team’s top performer in Portland.

SMASH
New LIV Golf member Jason Kokrak joins the team captained by Brooks Koepka. The big-hitting Kokrak has won three tournaments since October 2020 and will add a powerful presence off the tee. Smash finished sixth in Koepka’s debut in Portland, with all four players finishing inside the top 30. Chase Koepka played for Hy Flyers in London before joining his brother in Portland.

The Stinger team and their families in London. LIV Golf

STINGER
The all-South African team captained by Louis Oosthuizen has been the most successful in the first two LIV Golf events, winning by 14 strokes in London and finishing second in Portland. Stinger players also have won each of the first two individual trophies with Charl Schwartzel (London) and Branden Grace (Portland). Each of the four members has finished inside the top five in at least one of the first two events.

TORQUE
The all-Japanese team captained by Hideto Tanihara finished fourth in Portland, just one stroke off the podium. Jinichiro Kozuma was the team’s top performer, placing solo sixth in the individual standings and ranking as the second-best putter among all 48 players in the field. Yuki Inamori, making his LIV Golf debut in Portland, tied for 10th, while Tanihara and Ryosuke Kinoshita also finished inside the top 24.

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LIV Golf: Abraham Ancer impressed with rising Thailand star Sadom Kaewkanjana

Matt Smith — Wed, 27 Jul 2022 11:25:25 +0000

Sadom Kaewkanjana. LIV Golf

By Matt Smith
When Abraham Ancer signed for a seven-under 65 on the final day of the 150th Open Championship two weeks ago, you may think that he would be talking about his own exploits to the media. However, LIV Golf’s world No. 22 preferred to heap the praise his playing partner over the Old Course that Sunday.

The Mexican was paired with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, who is one of the rising stars on the Asian Tour. Not to be outdone, Sadom also shot a 65 in the final round of the Open, bettered only by champion Cameron Smith’s 64.

Ahead of the third LIV Golf event at Bedminster this week, both Ancer and Sadom are in fine fettle, finishing tied 11th at 11-under in St Andrews. The 24-year-old’s feat was the highest-placed finish by a Thai golfer in the oldest major, edging out Thongchai Jaidee’s T13 in 2009. Sadom will now look to keep up his good form in New Jersey this weekend as part of Kevin Na’s Iron Heads team alongside compatriot Phachara Khongwatmai and Zimbabwe star Scott Vincent.

Abraham Ancer. Asian Tour

Following their exploits in St Andrews, Ancer told AsianTour.com: “It always helps when you are playing in the same group with someone who is playing good golf. It somehow makes you play better. Today, Sadom played exceptionally well.

“I was very impressed with what I saw. I have never played with him before, but from what I saw today… he’s definitely an extremely talented player. He’s very good at this game and I think we are going to see a lot of him in the future. His putting definitely stood out. He just rolled the ball beautifully. The putts that didn’t go in, they all had a really good chance to go in.

“It was also that he was not overawed by the occasion. I think it must have been the most important round of his career so far, in a Major on a Sunday, and he was very calm and composed.”

Ancer is also delighted that young stars such as Sadom get to display their talents to a worldwide audience on the LIV Golf stage. “I feel like when we bring in talent from all over the world and showcase it in big events, I think it’s great for golf,” he added.

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