With just one event remaining of the regular LIV Golf season, four players head to the Chicago tournament knowing they have plenty of work to do to give themselves a realistic chance of avoiding relegation from the big-money circuit.
In total, seven players taking part in the tournament currently occupy the Drop Zone. Of those, three – Bubba Watson, Anthony Kim and Hudson Swafford - are immune from relegation thanks to their status as either a team captain or a wildcard.
As for the remaining four, here’s what they need to do to avoid relying on the LIV Golf Promotions event as their final roll of the dice…
Scott Vincent - 49th
Scott Vincent needs to finish no worse that 20th at LIV Golf Chicago
Only the top 24 players in each tournament receive Individual Standings points. Currently, Iron Heads GC player Scott Vincent is at the top of the Drop Zone, in 49th, having collected just 5.9 points this season.
The player immediately above him in the relative safety of the Open Zone is Pat Perez, who has 7.76 points. That means Vincent will need at least two points from his remaining start at the Bolingbrook Golf Club event, with that number awarded to those finishing between 18th, 19th and 20th.
However, that would still leave Vincent’s fate out of his hands as he’d be relying on Perez finishing beneath 24th and collecting zero points.
Because of that, he’ll be hoping to finish high enough up the leaderboard that the likes of Mito Pereira, Jinichiro Kozuma and Harold Varner III, who are also hovering above the Drop Zone, could come into the relegation equation.
Branden Grace - 50th
Branden Grace needs to at least equal his best finish of the season
Stinger GC player Grace is currently two places inside the Drop Zone on 4.42 points. With more than a three-point gap to make up on Perez, that means the bare minimum he will require is 15th, which would give him four points and the possibility of leapfrogging the 4 Aces GC player.
The problem for Grace is that would equal his best finish of the year, which he achieved at LIV Golf Jeddah, meaning the South African will need something a little special to give himself a chance.
Kalle Samooja - 53rd
Kalle Samooja is in danger of losing his LIV Golf status a year after he was promoted
Finn Samooja is hoping to avoid needing to play in the LIV Golf Promotions event for the second successive season.
A year ago, he entered hoping to become one of three players promoted to the circuit, and he did it in style, finishing top to earn his contract. However, the Cleeks GC player has struggled this season, with T14 in Singapore his brightest moment.
Samooja has a mere 3.40 points, 4.46 behind Perez, meaning the minimum requirement is 14th this week. If Perez, Grace, and Scott Vincent all slip up, that may be enough to see him clamber into the Open Zone at the last moment.
Kieran Vincent - 54th
Kieran Vincent will be hoping to avoid needing to play in the LIV Golf Promotions event
Vincent is another who made it to LIV Golf via the Promotions event, and like brother Scott, he is facing a pivotal week in Chicago.
The Legion XIII player has 2.47 points, leaving him 5.29 adrift of Perez. A finish of 13th would give him six points to potentially overtake him, but it’s unclear whether even that would suffice.
Given Vincent’s best performance so far this season came with a T18 at Nashville, the odds are surely against him finishing in the Open Zone.
It could be a particularly bittersweet week for Vincent, given Legion XIII is right behind Crushers GC at the top of the team standings. Could he really be relegated at the same time he helps Legion XIII to the top of the standings ahead of the Team Championship?
At the other end of the table, Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann battle it out for the title and prize money of $18m. The player finishing second will earn $8m.
Five players can still finish third and claim a $4m bonus – Tyrrell Hatton, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka. A top-three finish in Chicago will hand the place to Hatton as long as Garcia doesn’t pick up his second win of the season.
Tyrrell Hatton is third in the Individual Standings
Regardless of what Hatton does, Garcia needs a minimum of 11th for the chance to finish third, Oosthuizen and Smith need to finish fifth or better to have a chance, while Koepka needs to finish at least fourth.
All players finishing between top and 24th are in the Lock Zone and guaranteed their places for next season, with those finishing between 25th and 47th in the Open Zone. That would leave those with expiring contracts becoming free agents and needing to either be re-signed by their existing teams or head to a new one.
Everyone in the Open Zone can still make it to the Lock Zone. David Puig is 25th, and a top-10 finish could be enough, with those beneath him needing to do better to stand a chance.
For players currently 39th and below, only a win will give them any hope of reaching the Lock Zone.
