# Liv Golf Teams

Liv Golf League, a brand new international golf tour, is a golf league consisting of some of the highest-ranked golfers in the world. Liv Golf, starting their events in 2022, is notably unique for its 54-hole competition. Beginning in 2021, the league has changed with the addition and loss of numerous teams. The team aspect of LIV is new compared to other golf tours, hence it being their brand using the roman numerals LIV to name the league. The tour is funded by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, also known as PIF, causing controversy and attracting publicity to the new league. The league has a new approach to caddies, reserve players, and franchise ownership, creating a unique, team-based golf league.

## How it works

Each team creates a cumulative score over the 3-day, 54-hole tournament. This occurs based on the performance of the players on the teams, 4 per team. In 2023 there were 12 teams. In 2024, the league has 13 teams, Legion XIII being a new team captained by world number 3 John Rahm. All four players' scores will contribute to the team score regardless of how well or poorly they play, and the top eight teams out of the field will earn points in the team standings. There is a team championship at the end of the season, after the 13 tournaments played throughout the year. They compete for a $14 million dollar prize for first place. The top four seeds receive a bye to the semifinals. In 2023, these included 4Aces GC, Crushers GC, Torque GC, and Range Goats GC. The remaining 8 teams compete in the quarterfinals, with the match ups being determined by the highest ranked teams. There are 32 players in the 8 teams that make the quarterfinals, which play two singles matches and one foursome match. Each match is worth 1 point, the first team with two points then goes on to the semifinals with the top four teams.

## History
### League

In October 2021, the Chief Operating Officer Greg Norman held a private meeting with multiple members of the golf media. He laid out the basis for the new golf league, LIV Golf and its team play aspect. Later the following year, in March 2022, the schedule was announced, stating there would be $5 million awarded each tournament to the top three teams.

### 2022 season

The 2022 season, the first season of team play, began with 12 teams. Each team consists of 4 players, one of which is elected captain. Each player also has their own self-selected caddy on site for each tournament. There were no reserve players for any teams in the 2022 season.
Tournament team results :
| Date | Course | Location | Winning Team | Prize Money |
| June 9–10 | Centurion Club | Hertfordshire, England | Stingers GC | $3 Million |
| June 30-July 2 | Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club | Portland, Oregon | 4Aces GC | $3 Million |
| July 29–31 | Trump National Golf Club Bedminster | Bedminster, New Jersey | 4Aces GC | $3 Million |
| Sept. 2-4 | The International | Boston, Massachusetts | 4Aces GC | $3 Million |
| Sept. 16-18 | Rich Harvest Farms | Sugar Grove, Illinois | 4Aces GC | $3 Million |
| Oct. 7-9 | Stonehill Golf Couse | Bangkok, Thailand | Fireballs GC | $3 Million |
| Oct. 14-16 | Royal Greens Golf and Country Club | King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia | Smash GC | $3 Million |
| Oct. 27-30 | Trump National Doral | Miami, Florida | 4Aces GC | $16 Million |

#### Final team rankings

* 1 4Aces GC
* Smash GC
* Stinger GC
* Fireballs GC
* Punch GC
* Crushers GC
* Majesticks GC
* Cleeks GC
* Hyflyers GC
* Irone Heads GC
* Niblicks GC
* Torque GC

#### Team rosters

Captains*
| Team | Member | Member | Member | Captain |
| 4 Aces GC | Patrick Reed | Talor Gooch | Pat Perez | Dustin Johnson* |
| Crushers GC | Paul Casey | Charles Howell III | Anirban Lahiri | Bryson DeChambeau* |
| Fire Balls GC | Abraham Ancer | Carlos Ortiz | Eugenio Chacarra | Sergio Garcia* |
| Stinger GC | Charl Schwartzel | Branden Grace | Hennie du Plessis | Louis Oosthuizen* |
| Smash GC | Jason Kokrak | Peter Uihlein | Chase Koepka | Brooks Koepka* |
| Majesticks GC | Lee Westwood | Henrik Stenson | Sam Horsfield | Ian Poulter* |
| Torque GC | Scott Vincent | Adrian Otaegui | Jediah Morgan | Joaquin Niemann* |
| Hy Flyers GC | Matthew Wolff | Bernd Wiesberger | Cameron Tringale | Phil Mickelson* |
| Iron Heads GC | Sadom Kaewkanjana | Phachara Khongwatmai | Sihwan Kim | Kevin Na* |
| Cleeks GC | Graeme McDowell | Laurie Canter | Richard Bland | Martin Kaymer* |
| Punch GC | Marc Leishman | Matt Jones | Wade Ormsby | Cameron Smith* |
| Niblicks GC | Hudson Swafford | James Piot | Turk Pettit | Harold Varner III* |

### 2023 season

In the 2023 season, 2 teams disbanded, including Punch GC and Niblicks GC. This meant adding 2 new teams to stay at the 12 team minimum. Hence, RangeGoats GC and Ripper GC were added.
The league also added 5 team events throughout the year, keeping the purses same for all of them besides the championship. The payout decreased from $16 Million to $14 Million.
Tournament team results :
| Date | Course | Location | Winning Team | Prize Money |
| March 17–19 | The Gallery Golf Club | Tucson, Arizona | Fireballs GC | $3 Million |
| March 31-April 2 | Orange County National | Orlando, Florida | Torque GC | $3 Million |
| April 21–23 | The Grange Golf Club | Adelaide, Australia | 4Aces GC | $3 Million |
| April 28–30 | Sentosa Golf Club | Singapore | RangeGoats GC | $3 Million |
| May 12–14 | Cedar Ridge Country Club | Broken Arrow, Oklahoma | Stinger GC | $3 Million |
| May 26–28 | Trump National Golf Club | Washington, D.C | Torque GC | $3 Million |
| June 30-July 2 | Real Club Valderrama | Sotogrande, Spain | Torque GC | $3 Million |
| July 7–9 | Centurion Club | London, England | 4Aces GC | $3 Million |
| Aug. 4-6 | The Old White Course | White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia | Torque GC | $3 Million |
| Aug. 11-13 | Trump National Golf Club | Bedminster, New Jersey | Ripper GC | $3 Million |
| Sept. 22-24 | Rich Harvest Farms | Sugar Grove, Illinois | Crushers GC | $3 Million |
| Oct. 13-15 | Royal Greens Golf & Country Club | Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | Fireballs GC | $3 Million |
| Oct. 20-22 | Trump National Doral | Miami, Florida | Crushers GC | $14 Million |

#### Final team rankings

* 4Aces Golf Club
* Crushers Golf Club
* Torque Golf Club
* Rangegoats Golf Club
* Stinger Golf Club
* Fireballs Golf Club
* Ripper Golf Club
* Smash Golf Club
* Hyflyers Golf Club
* Cleeks Golf Club
* Majesticks Golf Club
* Iron Heads Golf Club

#### Team rosters

Captains*
| Team | Member | Member | Member | Captain |
| 4 Aces GC | Peter Uihlein | Pat Perez | Patrick Reed | Dustin Johnson* |
| Cleeks GC | Graeme McDowell | Richard Bland | Bern Wiesberger | Martin Kaymer* |
| Crushers CG | Charles Howell III | Anirban Lahiri | Paul Casey | Bryson DeChambeau* |
| Fireballs GC | Carlos Ortiz | Abraham Ancer | Eugenio Chacarra | Sergio Garcia* |
| Hy Flyers GC | James Piot | Brendan Steele | Cameron Tringale | Phil Mickelson* |
| Iron Heads GC | Sihwan Kim | Scott Vincent | Danny Lee | Kevin Na* |
| Majesticks GC | Sam Horsfield | Lee Westwood | Henrik Stenson* | Ian Poulter* |
| Range Goats GC | Harold Varner III | Thomas Pieters | Talor Gooch | Bubba Watson* |
| Ripper GC | Jed Morgan | Matt Jones | Marc Leishman | Cameron Smith* |
| Smash GC | Matt Wolff | Chase Koepka | Jason Kokrak | Brooks Koepka* |
| Stinger GC | Charl Schwartzel | Dean Burmester | Branden Grace | Louis Oosthuizen* |
| Torque GC | David Puig | Sebastian Munoz | Mito Pereira | Joaquin Niemann* |

## Expansion

As of the 31st of January, 2024, the first expansion team to LIV Golf was created. Legion XIII will be LIV Golf's 13th team, a difference compared to 2022 and 2023 moving away from 12 teams. The team will be led by former PGA Tour pro and masters champion John Rahm. Accompanying Rahm on the team will be Kieran Vincent, Tyrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt.

## Team ownership

LIV golf league owns 75% of all the teams. However, team captains receive a 25% equity in the team ownership. There have been outside buyers interested in buying some teams, such as the Range Goats GC. In 2022, the ownership expectations have changed as now the teams are responsible for paying for outside expenses, like hotels and transportation for the players and caddies, while trying to produce their own revenue. $5 million is awarded every tournament to the team that produces the most revenue, and $50 million at the end of the year, an incentive to build the franchises. LIV Golf and the teams are holding out on selling the franchises as they attempt to prove they are worth more than their current evaluations.

## Caddies

Each player on each team has caddies. Contrary to the PGA Tour, caddies are guaranteed money in LIV golf. With the team format, there are no cuts after a certain amount of rounds, meaning every player is able to make money. Hence, each caddy will make money as they take a percentage of the player earnings. Furthermore, the caddies do not pay for travel, housing, or food expenses, as those expenses are covered. The first two seasons it was covered by LIV Golf, afterward it is covered by the team franchises.

## Reserve players

Within the league of Liv Golf, there are reserve players. In 2024, these players include Wade Ormsby, Ben Campbell, Laurie Canter, and John Catlin. These players travel to each tournament with the chance to fill in for players that are hurt on any team. They are signed to the league and only the league, but teams can pick them up upon injury or withdraws within the team.

## Teams today
### Team rosters

Captains*
| Team | Member | Member | Member | Captain |
| 4 Aces GC | Harold Varner III | Pat Perez | Patrick Reed | Dustin Johnson* |
| Cleeks GC | Adrian Meronk | Richard Bland | Kalle Samooja | Martin Kaymer* |
| Crushers CG | Charles Howell III | Anirban Lahiri | Paul Casey | Bryson DeChambeau* |
| Fireballs GC | David Puig | Abraham Ancer | Eugenio Chacarra | Sergio Garcia* |
| Hy Flyers GC | Andy Ogletree | Brendan Steele | Cameron Tringale | Phil Mickelson* |
| Iron Heads GC | Jinichiro Kozuma | Scott Vincent | Danny Lee | Kevin Na* |
| Legion XIII GC | Caleb Surratt | Tyrrell Hatton | Kieran Vincent | Jon Rahm* |
| Majesticks GC | Sam Horsfield | Lee Westwood * | Henrik Stenson * | Ian Poulter* |
| Range Goats GC | Peter Uihlein | Thomas Pieters | Matthew Wolff | Bubba Watson* |
| Ripper GC | Lucas Herbert | Matt Jones | Marc Leishman | Cameron Smith* |
| Smash GC | Graeme McDowell | Talor Gooch | Jason Kokrak | Brooks Koepka* |
| Stinger GC | Charl Schwartzel | Dean Burmester | Branden Grace | Louis Oosthuizen* |
| Torque GC | Carlos Ortiz | Sebastian Munoz | Mito Pereira | Joaquin Niemann* |