eBusiness Weekly
The Saudi-backed series will have its first qualifying tournament at the end of the year to determine some of the 48-man field for its third season.
LIV Golf has said it plans to hold its version of a Qualifying Tournament at the end of this year to help set its field for 2024.
Some of the details of what is being called the LIV Golf “Promotions Event” came out this week, with a tentative November date following the conclusion of LIV’s 14-tournament season.
Using the terminology that is familiar with Premier League soccer, there will be four players relegated each year.
In theory, they are the bottom four — players 45 to 48 — in a season-long points list. In reality, a player will likely need to be in the top 40 to feel safe because anyone who is contracted for beyond this season will not lose his place.
In other words, Phil Mickelson, who is believed to be on a four-year deal with LIV, would not get bounced if he were to finish in the bottom four players.
LIV is likening players with contracts to those on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour who have multi-year exemptions but fall out of the annual points race.
The event will be played over four days but some attempting to qualify will be exempt from the first round.
Three spots will be available with a fourth going to the leader of the International Series Order of Merit. That player this year is Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe.
Currently, Andy Ogletree leads the International Series of Order of Merit through two of 10 events.
“The LIV Golf Promotions Event will ensure there is an open player pathway for golfers from across the ecosystem to gain exemption into the LIV Golf League,” officials said in materials outlining the event.
LIV officials are unsure of how large the field size will be at this point but they are inviting a wide array of players — if they so choose to participate.
The first round will consist of just 18 holes and will comprise players who finished between Nos. 6-32 of the Asian Tour’s International Series, winners of various amateur events such as the US and British Amateur, and entries from players inside the top 200 in the Official World Golf Ranking and players from the top 20 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The top 20 players in that first 18-hole round advance to the second day.
The second round will see players added to the field. Think of it as being exempt from the second stage of PGA Tour qualifying. This will include players relegated from LIV Golf, winners of majors going back to 2018, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team members and those who finished second through fifth in the International Series.
Scores are reset for this 18-hole round, with the top 16 players advancing to the final 36 holes, where again players start even with the top three getting a LIV playing opportunity in 2024.
For a player to remain in the LIV Golf League after this season, a top-24 finish in the season-long points race accomplishes that goal.
Again, any player who is contracted (exempt) does not have to fit this criteria.
Those who finish between 25 and 44 go into what LIV is calling its “transfer market,” meaning they are available for other teams to grab.
That is an aspect of LIV Golf that was supposed to be one of its hallmarks but went largely quiet in the last offseason with players such as Talor Gooch, Peter Uihlein and Matt Wolff changing teams with little fanfare. — golfnews
