The Actual Golf On Liv Golf Thread

[Mel Smooth]

So Rahm took the individual title - deserved, he's been very consistent all year. Niemann never gave up but the bogeys he made that Rahm didn't were the difference.

At the other end of the table, the Vincent brothers, Branden Grace, Kalle Samooja and Bubba Watson are all relegated from the league. Got to feel for Samooja especially as he was out of the drop zone at one point.
Be interesting to see if Bubba is granted an exemption back into a playing role or if he takes on a managerial role within the team.

Bollingbrook was a great pick in the end, despite the criticism when it was announced - it turned out to be a real challenge - I'd love to see more affordable public courses being used to host events across all tours going forwards.

On to the team championships in Dallas to conclude LIV 2025 - Crushers, Legion XIII and Rippers get the bye through the first round for finishing in the top 3 - my head says Crushers should win, they've got a solid team and Legion XIII have a team member who's on his way out of the league, it'll be interesting to see if Keiran Vincent can apply himself for the team finale.

 

[Springveldt]

So Rahm took the individual title - deserved, he's been very consistent all year. Niemann never gave up but the bogeys he made that Rahm didn't were the difference.

At the other end of the table, the Vincent brothers, Branden Grace, Kalle Samooja and Bubba Watson are all relegated from the league. Got to feel for Samooja especially as he was out of the drop zone at one point.
Be interesting to see if Bubba is granted an exemption back into a playing role or if he takes on a managerial role within the team.

Bollingbrook was a great pick in the end, despite the criticism when it was announced - it turned out to be a real challenge - I'd love to see more affordable public courses being used to host events across all tours going forwards.

On to the team championships in Dallas to conclude LIV 2025 - Crushers, Legion XIII and Rippers get the bye through the first round for finishing in the top 3 - my head says Crushers should win, they've got a solid team and Legion XIII have a team member who's on his way out of the league, it'll be interesting to see if Keiran Vincent can apply himself for the team finale.

So what happens to the relegated guys, who are they replaced with? I've not kept up on what their plans are for relegation etc.

Are they just going to try and sign better players from the PGA instead of those that are relegated?

 

[3 jabber]

So Rahm took the individual title - deserved, he's been very consistent all year. Niemann never gave up but the bogeys he made that Rahm didn't were the difference.

At the other end of the table, the Vincent brothers, Branden Grace, Kalle Samooja and Bubba Watson are all relegated from the league. Got to feel for Samooja especially as he was out of the drop zone at one point.
Be interesting to see if Bubba is granted an exemption back into a playing role or if he takes on a managerial role within the team.

Bollingbrook was a great pick in the end, despite the criticism when it was announced - it turned out to be a real challenge - I'd love to see more affordable public courses being used to host events across all tours going forwards.

On to the team championships in Dallas to conclude LIV 2025 - Crushers, Legion XIII and Rippers get the bye through the first round for finishing in the top 3 - my head says Crushers should win, they've got a solid team and Legion XIII have a team member who's on his way out of the league, it'll be interesting to see if Keiran Vincent can apply himself for the team finale.

Rahm can fill his time counting his millions when the next Ryder Cup is on

 

[Orikoru]

So what happens to the relegated guys, who are they replaced with? I've not kept up on what their plans are for relegation etc.

Are they just going to try and sign better players from the PGA instead of those that are relegated?

Yeah this doesn't make much sense to me. Even though Bubba may have played poorly, if they only sign some nobody to replace him that still doesn't benefit their product very much. But is this a hoop they've had to jump through in their effort to try and get ranking points? i.e. pretending it's not a closed shop etc?

 

[Mel Smooth]

So what happens to the relegated guys, who are they replaced with? I've not kept up on what their plans are for relegation etc.

Are they just going to try and sign better players from the PGA instead of those that are relegated?

There's a qualification event in December - as there was last year.
John Caitlin looks to have secured a spot as he's miles ahead in The Asian Tour OOM, and played and performed well when he stood in for Charles Howel III
They may also look to recruit players from other tours, as they did with Rahm and Hatton for 2024 - or they may come to a mutual agreement with the PGAT to allow players freedom to play across both tours - although progress seems to be slow on that front.

 

[Springveldt]

Rahm can fill his time counting his millions when the next Ryder Cup is on

Might be able to afford the fines now.

 

[Springveldt]

There's a qualification event in December - as there was last year.
John Caitlin looks to have secured a spot as he's miles ahead in The Asian Tour OOM, and played and performed well when he stood in for Charles Howel III
They may also look to recruit players from other tours, as they did with Rahm and Hatton for 2024 - or they may come to a mutual agreement with the PGAT to allow players freedom to play across both tours - although progress seems to be slow on that front.

Wait, so they are going to replace Bubba with John Caitlin (who he?). That doesn't seem a smart business decision. So what happens to the relegated players? They go to the Asian Tour or don't play golf now?

I'm guessing also this is all facade to try and get ranking points?

 

[Mel Smooth]

Wait, so they are going to replace Bubba with John Caitlin (who he?). That doesn't seem a smart business decision. So what happens to the relegated players? They go to the Asian Tour or don't play golf now?

I'm guessing also this is all facade to try and get ranking points?

Where have I said that Caitlin will replace Bubba?

And they gave up on the ranking points months back.

 

[Orikoru]

Where have I said that Caitlin will replace Bubba?

And they gave up on the ranking points months back.

I'm sure it was simply an extrapolation from the fact Bubba is the biggest name dropping out, and Caitlin is the biggest name that we currently know is going in. I don't think he meant replacing him in the RangeGoats team, just in LIV in general. Overall that trade weakens the product.

 

[Mel Smooth]

I'm sure it was simply an extrapolation from the fact Bubba is the biggest name dropping out, and Caitlin is the biggest name that we currently know is going in. I don't think he meant replacing him in the RangeGoats team, just in LIV in general. Overall that trade weakens the product.

If Catlin joined the Rangegoats and produced better results than Bubba did, how does it weaken the product?

All the equity holding team captains will have to step back from playing at some point and either sell their equity, or take a management or ambassadorial role within the team.


Bubba is a household name in the game in comparison to Catlin, but he'd still have a presence in LIV based on the comments I've seen him make. The changeover of players will be a routine aspect of the league, and ultimately results count, so if you bring in players who perform better than those dropping out - then the quality improves.

 

[Orikoru]

If Catlin joined the Rangegoats and produced better results than Bubba did, how does it weaken the product?

All the equity holding team captains will have to step back from playing at some point and either sell their equity, or take a management or ambassadorial role within the team.


Bubba is a household name in the game in comparison to Catlin, but he'd still have a presence in LIV based on the comments I've seen him make. The changeover of players will be a routine aspect of the league, and ultimately results count, so if you bring in players who perform better than those dropping out - then the quality improves.

You'll kick yourself... it's because Bubba Watson is a two-time Masters champion and Caitlin is effectively a nobody by comparison. Nobody has any idea what Watson's results have been anyway, they just know he's a major-winner that's in LIV right now. If you told most people he was being replaced by Caitlin you'd get a disinterested shrug.

 

[Mel Smooth]

You'll kick yourself... it's because Bubba Watson is a two-time Masters champion and Caitlin is effectively a nobody by comparison. Nobody has any idea what Watson's results have been anyway, they just know he's a major-winner that's in LIV right now. If you told most people he was being replaced by Caitlin you'd get a disinterested shrug.

I'm sure I would from some people that don't follow LIV, but that's the reality of how the league will evolve. I bet I hadn't watched Niemann hit a dozen golf shots before he joined LIV, I've watched hundreds since.

Bubba might well be better deployed within LIV than focusing on playing, the whole businesses strategy of the series is based on growth, and he might well be able to help them fulfill that by being off the course rather than on it.

There is a bigger picture than the here and now of who is playing on LIV at the current time.

 

[Springveldt]

If Catlin joined the Rangegoats and produced better results than Bubba did, how does it weaken the product?

All the equity holding team captains will have to step back from playing at some point and either sell their equity, or take a management or ambassadorial role within the team.


Bubba is a household name in the game in comparison to Catlin, but he'd still have a presence in LIV based on the comments I've seen him make. The changeover of players will be a routine aspect of the league, and ultimately results count, so if you bring in players who perform better than those dropping out - then the quality improves.

Nah, I'm not buying anyone trying to paint it as a good thing that you have John Catlin playing rather than Bubba Watson.

It does bring up an interesting topic though, who are going to replace the likes of Mickleson, Westwood, Poulter, Stenson, Garcia, McDowell etc in the very near future? Or are they going to let these guys carry on like it's the Seniors Tour?

That's a lot of big, recognisable names that are going to need replaced soon.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Nah, I'm not buying anyone trying to paint it as a good thing that you have John Catlin playing rather than Bubba Watson.

It does bring up an interesting topic though, who are going to replace the likes of Mickleson, Westwood, Poulter, Stenson, Garcia, McDowell etc in the very near future? Or are they going to let these guys carry on like it's the Seniors Tour?

That's a lot of big, recognisable names that are going to need replaced soon.

Isn't it exactly the same as an golf tour? New players come through and the ones at the end of their careers stop playing.


By the time all of the above players have left LIV - you'll likely be seeing opportunities from players from other tours to transition between tours anyway, so it's a moot point.

If Westwoood left the Majesticks this year and was replaced by, let's say, Laurie Canter, do you think LIV will lose any interest as a result?

The guy's running this thing aren't stupid - they'll have considered all these points, and they'll have multiple plans to put in place dependent on differing scenarios.

Similarly, if Tiger announced tomorrow that he was never playing a pro golf tournament again, it wouldn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Mel Smooth]

So it looks like we might have a winner in the Fantasy League with Benny's Ballers establishing a commanding lead in Chicago - the Fantasy league will run through the team championship but a 21 point lead looks pretty much insurmountable to me - but, you never know..

Teams can't be picked for the weekend until Thursday when the team match ups take place.