LIV could dump 5 stars in brutal culling including Ryder Cup ace and major champ
Five LIV Golf stars could be set to lose their spots on the breakaway league, despite finishing outside the drop zone in the 2023 season-long standings.
Earlier this week LIV announced its plans to introduce a transfer window that will potentially see current stars on the roster replaced by players wanting to earn a spot in the Saudi-backed league. The circuit confirmed player movement in the off-season will happen across three phases.
Phase one will see players who finished inside the top 24 in 2023 guaranteed a spot next campaign, even if their existing contract with the Saudi-backed setup is set to expire at the end of the year.
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Phase two then comes into play, which is named 'free agency'. This will include players who finished between 25th and 44th last season, whose contract has expired. Players will be free to negotiate with LIV's 12 teams, in a bid to earn a spot on the breakaway league for the following year.
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Following the end of free agency, four spots will remain which will be filled by the International Series' Order of Merit winner, as well as the top three finishers from LIV Golf Promotions in December. Those players who fail to find a deal from free agency will lose their LIV Golf spot for 2024.
Here is a look at five stars who are at risk.
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell became one of the marque names to join LIV Golf in June 2022, but two seasons on the former U.S. Open champion could well be cut for campaign three. McDowell spent 2023 as part of Cleeks GC, playing alongside captain Martin Kaymer, Richard Bland and Bernd Wiesberger.
After a tricky year for the Cleeks, and personally, McDowell finished 42nd in the individual standings with his best performance of the year coming at the season opener at Mayakoba, where he finished 13th. His underwhelming campaign could well cost him, with the Northern Irishman now at risk of losing his place with LIV having entered free agency.
Graeme McDowell's LIV Golf deal is expiring (AP)Bernd Wiesberger
Next on the list is McDowell's Cleeks GC teammate, Wiesberger. Back in 2021 the Austrian enjoyed one of his best seasons as a professional, as he impressed on the DP World Tour to earn himself a spot on the European Ryder Cup team.
Just over six months later, Wiesberger opted to walk away from the European circuit to join LIV Golf and since then things have not gone to plan. He bettered his Northern Irish teammate by just one spot in the 2023 standings, finishing 40th after surviving relegation on the final week of the regular season in Jeddah. Now the former Ryder Cup star is on the hunt for a new deal to ensure he returns in 2023.
Pat Perez
One man who has been no stranger to the LIV Golf podium is American star Pat Perez. Perez has spent his first two years on the Saudi-backed series with the 4Aces, captained by 2022 individual champion Dustin Johnson. Perez helped Johnson completed the double in season one, as the Aces become the inaugural team champions last October.
And just last month, the defending champions almost completed the double after reaching the 2023 team final before finishing fourth. Despite the success, Perez's finished 28th in the individual standings, meaning he could face the boot if he fails to be re-called by the 4Aces or find another team.
Pat Perez enjoyed plenty of success with Dustin Johnson (AFP via Getty Images)David Puig
Just over one year ago, one of amateur golf's hottest stars David Puig opted to make the professional dive to join the LIV setup. In his 12 months with the breakaway league Puig has showed plenty of potential at the age of 21, proving he is no doubt set for a big future in the game.
As things stand now though the Spaniard could well be set to continue his venture in pro golf elsewhere having finished 2023 in 31st, leaving him in free agency limbo. Puig spent his first full season with Torque GC, who earned a place on the podium in the season finale, finishing third.
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Matt Jones
LIV boss Greg Norman brought in a number of his fellow Australians into the breakaway league, including Matt Jones. The 43-year-old played his part on the all-Aussie Ripper GC alongside former Open champion Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Jed Morgan last season.
His teammate Morgan was one of the rebel players whose fate was sealed in Jeddah last month, after he slipped into the drop zone and was subsequently relegated from the breakaway league. Jones finished well clear of being relegated, but his future also remains up in the air after being placed into free agency ahead of this winter's transfer window.
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