LIV Golf set to announce European star amid Hatton and Fleetwood talks
Former world No. 1 Martin Kaymer has confirmed that LIV Golf is set to add another European star to their roster, with the yet-to-be-named player joining him at Cleeks GC for the 2024 season.
Kaymer became one of Europe's biggest names to join LIV, and was assigned as one of the 12 team captains, taking control of the Cleeks. His four-man team endured a tough season in 2023, finishing 10th out of 12 in the team standings.
On the back of a tough year, Kaymer is set to lead a new-look Cleeks into the 2024 campaign, after Bernd Wiesberger and Graeme McDowell both left the all-European team.
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Wiesberger opted to cut his ties with LIV all together, returning to the DP World Tour, whilst McDowell made the switch to Brooks Koepka's Smash GC. Speaking to National Club Golfer, Kaymer confirmed LIV Promotions winner Kalle Samooja had been signed for 2024, with one other European name set to be announced imminently.
Bubba Watson shares details of horror knee injury ahead of LIV Golf debutOn the back of Samooja's addition, Kaymer said: "We’re still looking for the fourth which we will probably announce within the next few days. There are a few names in the pot, so we’ll see who will join the Cleeks, but we’re definitely going to have a good team and a good team environment, nice guys that I know well."
Confirming that the new signing would be European, he added: "It’s going to be a European team. From the get-go, that was the goal to have a European Cleeks team. That is the route that we want to go, but it’s tricky because so many things need to be considered, especially for the people who join, a lot less than we had to consider back in the day when we had the chance to join LIV.
“But there are still a lot of uncertainties for most of the guys and I would like to give them as much information as possible to make their decision as easy as possible." It remains to be seen who the fourth and final player will be, but Kaymer's comments come after two of Europe's biggest names had been linked with a move.
According to the Telegraph, the breakaway league had reached out to Ryder Cup star Tommy Fleetwood, who opted to reject the deal. LIV then turned their attentions to fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, who confirmed discussions had been had at last week's Dubai Desert Classic.
""I’d say there’s several people who have had conversations,” Hatton said. “I think that’s part and parcel of golf at the moment." For now though, it appears the European is content with playing golf where he is. "I’m quite happy playing the PGA Tour and DP World Tour," he added.