The 13 Players Facing Trades Or Releases From LIV Golf League

After LIV Golf’s eight-tournament “beta” season in 2022, more jeopardy was introduced into the proceedings with this year’s inaugural LIV Golf League.

In total, 14 tournaments were played between February and October, and four players - Jediah Morgan, James Piot, Chase Koepka and Sihwan Kim - are in the relegation zone, but what of the players whose fate is less clear? 

Players finishing beneath 25th and 44th in the individual standings - the Open Zone - and in danger of losing their statuses too, either on their teams or with the circuit.

While captains who fell below 24th in the standings are immune from the "free agency" process and others may have stipulations in their contract preventing their trade or release, some will be acutely aware that their circumstances may be about to change. Here are the players who could be facing an uncertain LIV Golf future.

Abraham Ancer

As rumours flew about big-name players including Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed joining LIV Golf shortly after it launched, the capture of Abraham Ancer was more understated but still impressive enough for the start-up. After all, at the time, the Mexican-American was World No.20, and had recently finished T9 at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.

He didn’t take long to deliver, either, and finished the season with three top-10 finishes from his four starts.

However, it has not been as productive for the Fireballs GC player in 2023. Ancer didn’t secure his first top-10 finish until LIV Golf Bedminster in August with third, and, though he followed that up with eighth in the next tournament in Chicago, he couldn’t quite secure his future, finishing 26th.

Matthew Wolff

It is well documented that Wolff has endured an unsettled season as part of Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC, with one report in May stating he was no longer a member of the team.

In the end, the American saw it through to its conclusion, but that reported disharmony appears to have translated to his form on the course.

Wolff finished directly beneath Ancer at 27th in the standings, as three top-10 finishes were largely neutralised by a series of disappointing performances elsewhere, including six where he didn’t finish in the top 40.

Pat Perez

Perez is undoubtedly one of the more colourful characters on the circuit, and he has enjoyed success, too, most notably as part of the all-conquering 4Aces GC team of 2022.

Dustin Johnson’s men came close to replicating that success this season after finishing top of the team standings, before finishing fourth in the Team Championship as DeChambeau's Crushers GC took the honours. However, a glance at Pérez’s results suggests what was still a solid season for his team was partly in spite of his presence rather than because of it.

Like Wolff, Perez achieved three top-10 finishes, at Mayakoba, Adelaide and London, but consistency was not his friend and a disappointing end to the season, which featured three finishes beneath the top 40 in the last four tournaments, ensured he finished 28th in the standings.

Danny Lee

The 2015 Greenbrier Classic champion was not one of the higher-profile off-season LIV Golf signings, but he clearly didn’t let that get to him, with victory in only his second outing on the circuit, in Tucson, thanks to a stunning playoff putt.

No doubt, at that point, his Iron Heads GC captain Kevin Na considered his addition to the team an inspired move. Unfortunately, though, the New Zealander didn’t get close to replicating that form again, with no other finishes in the top 20.

Along with that slump in form, which left him 29th in the individual standings, his team finished rock bottom of the 12 for the season.

David Puig

LIV Golf placed its faith in the young Spaniard last September by signing the Arizona State star to a professional contract. However, the Torque GC player has not quite delivered the consistency he would have liked. 

There have still been admirable performances from Puig, notably seventh in his homeland at LIV Golf Andalucia and fourth at LIV Golf Greenbrier, but despite showing obvious potential, he finished 31st in the individual standings.

Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra

Fireballs GC star Lopez-Chacarra was considered one of the lower-profile players of the 2022 intake, but he shot to prominence with victory in the LIV Golf Bangkok tournament.

There were glimpses of that potential in 2023, too, most obviously at LIV Golf Tulsa where he finished fifth. However, indifferent form throughout much of the season, including a low of 45th in Adelaide, ensured that he could only muster 32nd in the standings.

Thomas Pieters

Six-time DP World Tour winner Pieters was comfortably the biggest LIV Golf signing of the winter, and he certainly didn’t look out of place on Range Goats GC alongside two-time Major-winning captain Bubba Watson, former PGA Tour pro Harold Varner III and eventual winner of the individual standings, Talor Gooch.

The season didn't really get going for the Belgian, though, and, while he never finished lower on the leaderboard than 38th, genuine high points were few and far between, with 10th in London the best of his efforts.

Paul Casey

The Crushers GC player may have been part of the winning team at the season finale, but he struggled to produce his best form throughout much it.

It started well enough for the Englishman, finishing fourth in the season opener at Mayakoba as teammate Charles Howell III cruised to the win, but it was something of a false dawn, with 21st in London his next-best finish to leave him languishing in 35th in the individual standings.

Matt Jones

As part of the all-Australian Ripper GC team, the two-time PGA Tour winner contributed to its somewhat underwhelming finish of seventh in the team standings, and that’s probably a fair description of his season.

Jones looked good in the second tournament of the season in Tucson as he finished seventh, but he didn’t get close to the top 10 again, with 17th in Andalucia the pick of his other performances.

Charl Schwartzel

It must feel like a long time ago since Schwartzel claimed the Green Jacket for his 2011 Masters win after finishing 38th on the standings and the lowest of the Stinger GC team. 

The South African offered a brief reminder of his capabilities with ninth at Valderrama, but a series of underwhelming performances came either side of it, despite rallying towards the end, with 20th in both Chicago and Jeddah.

Sam Horsfield

All four Majesticks GC players finished beneath the top 24, but with three co-captains, all are spared from uncertainty with the exception of Horsfield. 

In fairness to the Englishman, he was barely to blame for his finish of 40th having missed eight successive tournaments through injury straight after finishing 10th at LIV Golf Orlando. 

He’ll be hoping those mitigating circumstances work in his favour when his future on the circuit is decided.

Bernd Wiesberger

Cleeks GC player Wiesberger began the season with 44th in Mexico, and, though things improved after that, it wasn’t by much.

The Austrian didn’t finish in the top 20 of a leaderboard until the sixth tournament, in Tulsa, with the only other notable highlights being 13th at LIV Golf Greenbrier and 11th that rounded off his efforts for the regular season, in Saudi Arabia.

Graeme McDowell

McDowell was been realistic about the fact he was facing an uncertain LIV Golf future even before his regular season finished with 29th at Jeddah. The Cleeks GC player said in September: “I feel like I’ve been a good spokesman for the league and a good ambassador for the tour and hopefully there is a captain that wants me on his team.”

With a best finish of 12th at Bedminster and languishing just three places above the relegation zone, have we seen the last of the 2010 US Open winner as a LIV Golf player?

Two other players hovering above the relegation zone are Andy Ogletree and Laurie Canter. However, despite playing their parts in the 2023 season they were officially reserve players, without a designated team. 

For Ogletree in particular, his LIV Golf future looks bright with a place in the 2024 roster all but secured thanks to his standing at the top of the Asian Tour's International Series Order of Merit. 

Meanwhile, even players without a team after the free agency period could yet compete in the 2024 LIV Golf League - including those who finished in the relegation zone. That's because a tournament will be held in December, with the top three being offered a place in next season's roster, with a draft to follow to determine their teams.