LIV Golf has started its third season with the Mayakoba Invitational being the first tournament of 2024. It is being played at El Camaleon Golf Course and features 54 players on the field. Another interesting part about this season is that there are nine new signees to the league.
During the transfer window, between the end of the 2023 season and the start of the 2024 season, LIV Golf managed to acquire a handful of amazing players. They struck a multi-year deal with reigning Masters Champion Jon Rahm for a reported sum of over $500 million. He will be leading his own new team, the Legion XIII GC.
Just like Rahm, a few more players have joined the LIV Golf League. Let’s take a closer look at the nine newest additions to the roster of the Saudi-backed league:
1) Jon Rahm
The Spaniard is the league’s most expensive signing since its inception. The former World No. 1 is a two-time major champion and has won multiple title on both the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. Jon Rahm is the captain of newest team on the league, the Legion XIII GC.
2) Adrian Meronk
The 30-year-old Polish professional was the most surpising signing for the LIV Golf league. After being overlooked by the European team at the Ryder Cup 2023, his decision to join the disruptive league does not seem odd.
Adrian Meronk is a four-time DP World Tour champion and had a sensational 2023 season. He will be playing for Cleeks GC under the captaincy of Martin Kaymer.
3) Tyrrell Hatton
Another shocking name that joined the League recently is the 2023 Ryder Cup star Tyrrell Hatton. The six-time DP World Tour champion has reportedly signed a $60 million deal and will be playing in Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII.
4) Caleb Surratt
The young American amateur had joined the LIV Golf league and is part of Legion XIII for the 2024 season. He is the third amateur player after David Puig and Eugenio Chacarra to join the league as an amateur.
5) Lucas Herbert
The three-time DP World Tour winner, Lucas Herbert, is also the newest addition in the LIV Golf roster for 2024 season. He has also recorded a tournament victory on the PGA Tour in 2021 at the Bermuda Championship. He will be joining his Australian compatriot Cameron Smith’s team, Rippers GC.
6) Kalle Samooja
The 36-year-old Finnish professional golfer was the winner of LIV Golf Promotional Event in December 2023. He has joined Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC for the 2024 season and will look forward to finish in the safe zone to retain his card.
7) Andy Ogletree
The 2019 US Amateur winner, Andy Ogletree is another exciting youngster to be part of the league for its 2024 season. He earned a spot in the league after finishing on the top of the Asian Tour’s International Series Order of Merit in 2023. He will be playing in six-time major champion Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC.
8) Jinichiro Kozuma
The two-time Japan Tour winner, Jinichiro Kozuma, has joined the league via his performance at the LIV Golf Promotional Event in December 2024. He is considered one of the exciting golf talents from Japan and has joined Kevin Na’s team, Iron Heads GC.
9) Kieran Vincent
The runner up of the LIV Golf Promotional Event 2023, Kieran Vincent is the fourth member of Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII GC. Interestingly, his elder brother Scott Vincent is also part of the league and is a member of Iron Heads GC.
These nine players have joined LIV as permanent members for the 2024 season. This season all the tournaments will have two individual wildcards, and for the first tournament at Mayakoba, they are Laurie Canter and Hudson Swafford. Reports also suggest that former PGA Tour pro Anthony Kim could be making his comeback and join the league soon.
It will be really interesting to see how these new players perform on the Saudi-funded league and what effects they cause to the pre-existing players.
