Jonny Leighfield
The lucrative LIV Golf League is great for pros who are playing well, with huge money up for grabs, one fewer round to play each week and no stressing over missing the cut - but many pros face the prospect of relegation if they don't play well.
Up from four to five in 2024, the bottom players have lost their spot on their respective teams and are set to be replaced by new signings or new qualifiers for the 2025 season.
There were 54 full-time players in the 2024 LIV Golf League, and and a handful were relegated after finishing 49th or below. A few others were cut, too, including golfers like Laurie Canter and Ben Campbell who operated as reserves for injured players, but the two wildcards - Anthony Kim and Hudson Swafford - may not necessarily lose their status.
Kalle Samooja almost escaped the drop but bogeyed his final hole of the season to remain in 49th. Brothers Scott and Kieran Vincent also failed to find safety, while South African Branden Grace and RangeGoats GC captain Bubba Watson were the two big names to lose their status - despite it being understood for the overwhelming majority of the season that club captains were exempt from relegation.
This is an increase on the 2023 season, when only Chase Koepka, James Piot, Sihwan Kim and Jediah Morgan were replaced on the 54-hole tour.
Brooks Koepka's brother Chase was relegated off LIV in 2023
What Happens To LIV Golfers Who Are Dropped?
While the most recent crop of relegated players are no longer LIV Golf League members, they do have the opportunity to earn their way straight back thanks to the LIV Golf Promotions event, with all relegated players gaining entry into the three-day shootout in Abu Dhabi later this year.
Three of the four dropped pros from last term entered the event in December 2023 but none of them finished in the top three as Samooja and Kieran Vincent clinched a spot alongside Jinichiro Kozuma.
Should the relegated five from 2024 fail to earn a LIV spot back via the Promotions tournament, they will have the consolation of Asian Tour status for the following campaign.
The Asian Tour is a partner of LIV and offers one full card to the winner of its International Series, which has been heavily funded by the PIF-backed circuit, so that is another route back to the top table for anyone who was cut.
CONFIRMED: The Drop Zone after the final round in Chicago. #LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/pDwI42O04ISeptember 15, 2024
The recent group of five can't go and play on the PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour due to the US circuit suspending any player for 12 months after playing in a LIV event. They can - however - play on the DP World Tour, although they would need to qualify to earn their cards or entry into individual tournaments.
They can also play on non-PGA Tour affiliated tours, and may well get sponsor's invites due to formerly being LIV Golf players. Sihwan Kim played on the Korean PGA Tour this year while Jediah Morgan has also played on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2024.
Relegated LIV Players 2024
- Kalle Samooja
- Scott Vincent
- Kieran Vincent
- Branden Grace
- Bubba Watson
- Laurie Canter (reserve)
- Ben Campbell (reserve)
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