LIV Golf has announced that the first part of the league’s off-season team restructure is complete and that phase two has begun, which will enable players to either stay with their current team or negotiate to switch to a new team that has a spot open.
In addition to the Top 24 (Lock Zone) players who opted to become free agents, players who finished 25th to 44th (Open Zone) whose contracts have expired are officially free agents.
Free agency will conclude when four league roster spots remain. These open spots are reserved for the winner of The International Series 2023 Rankings – claimed by Andy Ogletree – and the top three finishers from LIV Golf Promotions, which will be staged December 8-10 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in United Arab Emirates. Following the qualifying tournament, the league will host the LIV Golf Draft through which these players will be drafted onto the remaining teams that have an open spot on their roster.
Additionally, to support opportunities for teams to strengthen their rosters once the season has begun, a mid-season trading window will take place in 2024 (exact dates to be announced) where teams and players will be free to negotiate trades as well as extensions to their existing contracts if a player is in the last year of his contract.
Below is the current status of LIV Golf’s 12 four-man teams after phase one:
4ACES GC
The 2022 LIV Golf Team Champions have one roster spot available with Pat Perez no longer under contract after finishing 28th in the points list, leaving Captain Dustin Johnson with the decision to either re-sign Perez or look for another player. Peter Uihlein, who joined the team from Smash GC last offseason, secured and accepted a contract extension with the 4Aces after his 12th place finish in this year’s Individual Standings. Rounding out the squad is Patrick Reed, who finished 6th.
CLEEKS GC
Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks have two open roster spots after Bernd Wiesberger and Graeme McDowell finished 41st and 42nd respectively in the Individual Standing and are now free agents. Kaymer remains as captain, receiving exempt status despite finishing in the Drop Zone (45th or below). Richard Bland re-signed with the Cleeks after his late-season surge locked up a spot with a 20th place finish.
CRUSHERS GC
The reigning 2023 Team Champions, led by Captain Bryson DeChambeau, will return their entire roster. Anirban Lahiri, the team’s only player with an expiring contract, accepted his extension offer after finishing 11th in the Individual Standings. Charles Howell III, the winner in Mayakoba, finished 10th, while Paul Casey remains under contract after finishing 35th.
FIREBALLS GC
Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs have one open roster spot after Carlos Ortiz, who finished 15th in the Individual Standings, opted for free agency after declining a contract extension offer. Abraham Ancer and Eugenio Chacarra, each under contract for at least one more season, finished in 26th and 32nd respectively.
HYFLYERS GC
Phil Mickelson’s team has one open spot after James Piot was relegated after finishing 47th in the Drop Zone. Both Cameron Tringale (16th) and Brendan Steele (19th) are under contract and will return. Mickelson will look to add a player through free agency or the draft.
IRON HEADS GC
Captain Kevin Na will add at least one new player due to Sihwan Kim’s relegation. Scott Vincent played his way into the Lock Zone in the regular-season finale in Jeddah and accepted his extension offer. Danny Lee, winner of LIV Golf Tucson, is under contract for next season.
MAJESTICKS GC
Co-captains Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood return, as does Sam Horsfield, who rejoined the line-up late in the season following an injury and remains under contract.
RANGEGOATS GC
Captain Bubba Watson’s decision to acquire Talor Gooch last offseason proved successful after Gooch hoisted the 2023 Individual Championship trophy. The addition of Gooch helped the RangeGoats finish runners-up at this year’s Team Championship in Miami. Watson’s line-up is set as both Harold Varner III (7th) and Thomas Pieters (33rd) are under contract.
RIPPER GC
With Matt Jones (37th) now a free agent and Jediah Morgan (46th) relegated, Captain Cameron Smith has the option to either re-sign Jones or look to add two new players via free agency or the draft. Marc Leishman, who completes the team, finished 18th in the 2023 Individual Standings.
SMASH GC
Captain Brooks Koepka has one open roster spot following the relegation of his brother, Chase Koepka, while Jason Kokrak (23rd) and Matt Wolff (27th) are under contract for another season.
STINGER GC
Captain Louis Oosthuizen’s team is set for next season with Branden Grace (9th), Dean Burmester (14th) and Charl Schwartzel (38th) all under contract.
TORQUE GC
Four-time tournament champions and third-place finishers at this year’s Team Championship, Joaquin Niemann’s Torque has one open roster spot heading into this offseason. Mito Pereira (8th) and Sebastian Muñoz (11th) secured their spots for next year while David Puig is a free agent, having finished 31st in this year’s Individual Standings. Thus, Niemann will look to add one player via free agency or the draft.