At the conclusion of the final solo LIV Golf title of 2024, it was Jon Rahm, Joaquin Niemann and Sergio Garcia who claimed the bonus prizes, but there was also the small matter of those at the bottom of the LIV Golf Leaderboard...
Following the news that LIV Golf captains would be included in the final relegation spots, it provided more spice to the final tournament and, as the final putts were holed, it was Kieran Vincent, Bubba Watson, Branden Grace, Scott Vincent and Kalle Samooja who found themselves in the 'Drop Zone'.
Throughout the event in Chicago, Samooja had found his best golf and, following a stunning four-under 66 on Saturday that vaulted him 10 places in the standings, he continued his form on the final day but, for the Finn, he would rue a costly bogey-double bogey finish, as he ended up in the 49th spot.
In the end, 4Aces' Pat Perez ended his day in 48th and the final 'Open Zone' spot on the LIV Golf individual standings, which meant he was safe from relegation. His team mate, Harold Varner III, also tied up his place in the Open Zone following a three-under-par round that put him inside the top 20 on the Chicago leaderboard.
However, the same couldn't be said for Watson who, despite being captain for the Range Goats GC side, didn't make his way out of the 'Drop Zone'. It's currently unclear as to what will happen to the two-time Major winner, as Watson finishes 53rd in the LIV Golf standings.
Amongst the other players relegated were Grace who, in the League's first year, secured a second place finish in the LIV Golf season. The result comes as a surprise, given that the South African finished ninth in individual standings for 2023, following five top 10 finishes.
The final players to be relegated are the Vincent brothers, with Scott finishing 50th and Kieran claiming a 54th place finish. It's a somewhat bittersweet finish for Kieran, as his Legion XIII side, headed by Rahm, picked up four wins, one runner-up and one third place finish.
Currently, it's unclear what the relegated players will do but, it seems that those relegated will have to go through the Asian Tour's International Series or LIV Golf Promotions event at the end of the year to have a chance of continuing on the LIV Golf League circuit. Either way, it'll be an interesting few months for those relegated.
LIV GOLF DROP ZONE STANDINGS
| Players | Points | Team | Position |
| Kalle Samooja | 6.20 | Cleeks GC | 49th |
| Scott Vincent | 6.18 | IronHeads GC | 50th |
| Branden Grace | 4.42 | Stinger GC | 51st |
| Laurie Canter | 4.30 | Reserve Player (Exempt) | 52nd |
| Bubba Watson (Captain) | 3.66 | Range Goats GC | 53rd |
| Kieran Vincent | 2.75 | Legion XIII | 54th |
-
Max Homa Splits With Caddie Joe GreinerHoma and his long-time caddie Joe Greiner have parted ways after six PGA Tour victories together
-
Sandy Lyle Shared 3 Top Tips With Us Prior To Winning The Masters in 1988... And They Could Still Save You Shots 37 Years LaterThe 1988 Masters Champion shared his expert tips in the January 1988 issue of Golf Monthly, but they are still absolute gems for amateur golfers to this day...
-
Sergio Garcia 'Super Proud' To Reach Major Milestone In The MastersSergio Garcia says he's "super proud" to be joining an exclusive club at The Masters as it'll be his 100th appearance in a Major championship
-
LIV Golf Masters Form Guide - How Well Have The 12 Men In The Field Been Playing Ahead Of Augusta?Some doubts have been cast on how well the 12 LIV Golf players in the Masters field have been performing ahead of Augusta National, so let's take a look at their form
-
'I Think We All Hoped It Would Have Been A Little Further Long, And That's No Secret' - Brooks Koepka's Echoes Recent Tough Love Towards LIV GolfThe five-time Major champion said progress is being made with the PIF-backed circuit after stating it was "quite far behind" its rivals on The Joe Pomp Show
-
'He’s Over There And We Only See Him Four Or Five Times A Year, And It’s Disappointing For All Of Us' - Curtis Strange Claims Joaquin Niemann 'Needs' To Be On The PGA TourNiemann has started 2025 in phenomenal fashion thanks to two victories on the LIV Golf League in three starts. However, Strange believes he should be back on the PGA Tour
-
LIV Golf Unveils Its Own Version Of Creator Classic Featuring Grant Horvat, Rick Shiels, Fat Perez And Bryan BrosTaking place at LIV Golf Miami, six players from the circuit will play alongside six of the game's biggest content creators in a nine-hole scramble event
-
Carlos Ortiz 'Overjoyed' To Earn Open Championship Spot After Pulling Away From LIV Rivals During International Series Macau VictoryThe Mexican finished with a blistering six-under 64 to earn his second Asian Tour prize and clinch a spot at the 153rd Open Championship
-
LIV Golf Leaderboard At International Series Macau - Open Spots Up For Grabs As Multiple LIV Pros In Contention Going Into Final DayAfter a busy Moving Day at Macau Golf and Country Club, a number of LIV golfers are in contention for the victory and a potential spot at The Open Championship
-
'If We Want To Figure Out Why The Game Of Golf Is Not Back Together, Go Ask Those Guys' - Scottie Scheffler Insists LIV Golfers To Blame For Golf's Big DivideScottie Scheffler reiterated his stance that LIV golfers were to blame for the continued split in men's pro golf, while insisting the PGA Tour still had a better standard
