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LIV Tour

LIV Golf: These Stars Face Potential Relegation from the Tour

These LIV Golf players currently find themselves in the "Drop Zone." (Photos: Getty)

With just one event remaining in the 2024 LIV Golf season, the battle intensifies for players teetering near the bottom of the individual rankings. Players who finish 49th or lower are placed in the “Drop Zone,” meaning they’ll have to compete in the LIV Golf Promotions to secure a spot for the next season. While captains and contracted players are safe from relegation, many others are fighting to stay on the tour.

Team Captains in Safe Territory

Captains like Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer are immune to relegation due to their leadership roles, but for some of their teammates, the situation is far more precarious. Watson currently sits in 52nd place, but his captain status shields him from any consequences. Similarly, Kaymer, who leads Cleeks GC, is safe despite finishing last season in the “Drop Zone.” For other players, however, the final event could decide their future on the tour.

Varner and Perez: On the Edge

Harold Varner III (47th) and Pat Perez (48th) are two notable names hovering near the relegation line. Both players need strong showings in the final event, LIV Golf Chicago, to avoid falling into the “Drop Zone.” Varner, who finished 7th in last year’s standings, is particularly feeling the pressure after an unexpectedly poor 2024 season.

Vincent, Grace, and Canter: Last-Ditch Effort

Scott Vincent (49th) has managed to stay just above the relegation line, with top-25 finishes in the last four tournaments, but he needs another solid performance to secure his place. Meanwhile, Branden Grace (50th) and Laurie Canter (51st) are in similarly precarious positions. Grace has had an inconsistent season, mixing high points with disappointing results, while Canter’s limited schedule — just two events — has left him little opportunity to climb higher in the rankings.

Players at the Bottom

At the lower end of the rankings, Kalle Samooja (53rd) and Kieran Vincent (54th) are in serious jeopardy. Both players entered the league via the 2023 Promotions but have struggled this season. Samooja is firmly in the “Drop Zone,” while Vincent, with only 2.47 points and just one top-20 finish this season, has also been unable to escape the bottom of the leaderboard.

Categories
Travel

Kilrush Golf Club: 90 Years of Community, Challenging Course, and Inclusivity

The Kilrush Golf Club in Ireland. (Photo: Kilrush Golf Club)
The Kilrush Golf Club in Ireland. (Photo: Kilrush Golf Club)

Kilrush Golf Club, located in Kilrush, County Clare, Ireland, stands along the picturesque Wild Atlantic Way. Over its 90 years of history, the club has become an integral part of the local community, offering a golfing experience for players of all ages and abilities. The course has evolved from a nine-hole layout into a mature, gently undulating 18-hole course through the efforts of volunteer members over the past 30 years.

Kilrush Golf Club: €35 Green Fee Year-Round

Kilrush Golf Club proudly offers a challenging round of golf with distinct holes that require careful play. One notable hole is the 168-yard, Par 3, 9th hole, which features a tee shot from an elevated position over water to a green set into a hillside, surrounded by sand and a stream. This hole demands precision with varying club choices depending on wind conditions. Players must keep their balls on the fairway to navigate the course successfully.

The club’s green fee is €35 year-round, including public holidays, and covers entry into weekend competitions for eligible golfers. New members benefit from a discounted rate, receiving a 60% reduction in their first year and a 30% reduction in their second year before paying the full subscription in their third year. Distance membership is also an option for golfers residing more than 60 km from Kilrush. Training courses are available during the summer months for junior golfers and beginner lady golfers, complemented by active senior sections meeting weekly.

Kilrush Golf Club extends a warm welcome to visitors and societies throughout the year, with further details accessible on their website. The club also features an on-site restaurant, managed by Martina Burke and her team, providing a comprehensive menu to ensure guests can enjoy a full day out.

A Short Interview with Kilrush Golf Club

Q: In one sentence: What are you particularly proud of at your golf club?

A: Careful nurturing, planning and planting by our volunteer members over the past 30 years has ensured that the original nine hole course has matured into a gently undulating course with eighteen very distinct holes.

Q: Our golf course is particularly suitable for…

A: …a pleasant but challenging round of golf in beautiful surroundings along the Wild Atlantic Way. The club has been an integral part of the town for over 90 years and has embraced golfers of all ages and abilities. Visitors and Societies are always welcome.

Q: What makes your signature hole special?

A: The 168 yard, Par 3, 9th hole. The tee shot is played from an elevated tee over water to an amphitheater green cut into a hillside. The green which is surrounded by sand and a stream requires an accurate tee shot which can vary from a short iron to a driver depending on the wind conditions.

Q: The quick insider tip for your golf course is?

A: Keep your ball on the fairway.

Q: What special offers (green fee bargains, discounted memberships, etc.) or training classes does your golf club offer?

A: Our green fee of €35 applies on all days, including public holidays. All of our weekend competitions are open to eligible golfers. For visitors, the open competition entry is included in the green fee. New members are offered their first year membership at 60% discount and their second year at 30% discount before paying the full subscription on their third year.
Distance membership is available to golfers resident more than 60 km from Kilrush. During the summer months we offer training courses for junior golfers and beginner lady golfers. There is a vibrant Senior section of the club with ladies meeting on Tuesdays and men on Wednesdays.
Further details can be found on the club website:
www.kilrushgolfclub.com

Q: Anything you would like to add?

A: On all days of the year, we can accommodate visitors. Our restaurant is managed by Martina Burke and Staff and offers a full menu.

Categories
Equipment

WITB: Matt Wallace Triumphs with Four Different Brands

WITB: Matt Wallace (Image: Getty)
WITB: Matt Wallace (Image: Getty)

Matt Wallace wins the European Masters in Switzerland with clubs from Ping, TaylorMade, Titleist and Callaway. It is the Englishman’s fifth victory on the DP World Tour.

WITB: Four brands for the win

The Englishman currently uses the Ping G430 LST driver (10.5˚). With the Ping model, he finished twelfth in the “Strokes Gained: Off the Tee” statistics at the European Masters and eighth in driving accuracy. With the Qi10 Tour (16.5˚), he also has a TaylorMade club in his bag as a fairway wood. For the hybrid, Wallace currently relies on the TSR2 (18˚) from Titleist. The fourth brand in the 34-year-old’s bag is Callaway. From the 4-iron to the 9-iron, he relies on the Callaway X Forged CB model. The rest of the golf bag is filled with Titleist clubs. Wallace plays the Titleist Vokey SM10’s wedges with 46, 50 and 54 degrees of loft and the SM10-WW Proto model with 60 degrees of loft. The Titleist Scotty Cameron Tour Only T-9 putter and Titleist Pro V1 X-balls (2023) complete the set.

Matt Wallace WITB

Image: Ping

Driver: Ping G430 LST

Image: TaylorMade

Fairway wood: TaylorMade Qi10

Image: Titleist

Hybrid: Titleist TSR2

Image: Callaway

Irons: Callaway X Forged

Image: Titleist

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x

Wallace moves up the Race to Dubai Rankings

Matt Wallace, currently in 73rd place in the world rankings, improved to 22nd place in the Race to Dubai with his victory at the traditional tournament in Crans Montana. He is therefore currently safely in the top 50 of the season rankings. The top 50 players are allowed to compete at the DP World Tour Championship in November.

Categories
Highlights Tours

World Golf Ranking: Matt Wallace Climbs Up Almost 20 Spots

World Golf Ranking: Matt Wallace after winning on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)
World Golf Ranking: Matt Wallace after winning on the DP World Tour. (Photo: Getty)

The World Golf Ranking has seen some notable shifts this week. Rory McIlroy continues to be the highest-ranked British golfer. McIlroy holds the 3rd position, unchanged from last week. Tommy Fleetwood is the next best British player, holding the 11th spot without any change from the previous week. Fleetwood’s stability in rankings showcases his continued presence among the top golfers globally.

See the complete Official World Golf Ranking here

A Look at the Changes in the Ranking

Aaron Rai has seen a slight improvement, moving from 24th to 22nd place, reflecting an upward trend in his performance. Matt Fitzpatrick, however, has dropped from 27th to 28th, indicating a slight decline. Robert MacIntyre stands firm at the 16th position, maintaining his steady performance week over week.

The biggest change among the British players can be seen in Matt Wallace. The 34-year-old won the Omega European Masters on the DP World Tour this week and climbed from 91st to 73rd in the World Golf Ranking as a result.

World Golf Ranking Top-10

In the Top-10 of the World Golf Ranking, Scottie Scheffler continues to lead, maintaining the 1st position. There have been no changes in the Top-10 ranks this week. The other notable golfers include Xander Schauffele at 2nd, Collin Morikawa at 4th, and Ludvig Aberg at 5th. Viktor Hovland remains at 8th place. The stability at the top of the rankings indicates a period of consistency among the world’s elite golfers.

RankingLast Week RankingNationalityPlayer Name
33NIRRory McIlroy
1111ENGTommy Fleetwood
1616SCORobert MacIntyre
2224ENGAaron Rai
2827ENGMatt Fitzpatrick
Categories
Highlights Tours

World Golf Ranking: Scottie Scheffler Stays on Top, Schauffele Steady

World Golf Ranking: Scottie Scheffler on top. (Photo: Getty)
World Golf Ranking: Scottie Scheffler on top. (Photo: Getty)

The World Golf Ranking has presented few notable updates for American players this week. Scottie Scheffler remains at the top position with no change in his ranking and an average points score of 18.12. Close behind him, Xander Schauffele holds steady at the second position, maintaining his ranking from the previous week with an average points score of 11.35.

See the complete Official World Golf Ranking here

World Golf Ranking: Third to Fifth Best American Golfers in the World Golf Ranking

Collin Morikawa continues to hold the fourth position, showing no change from last week, with an average points score of 6.46. Wyndham Clark remains in the sixth position, again with no change, and has an average points score of 5.70. Patrick Cantlay is ranked ninth, maintaining his previous position, with an average points score of 4.81.

Further down the Ranking Akshay Bhatia moved from 28th to 27th aswell as Justin Thomas who also climbed one spot to 29th.

Top 10 Analysis

The top ten positions in the Ranking have experienced minimal changes. Rory McIlroy from Northern Ireland stays at the third position, while Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg is steady at the fifth place. The seventh position remains occupied by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama. Norway’s Viktor Hovland and Bryson DeChambeau from the USA close the top ten, maintaining their eighth and tenth positions respectively.

PositionPlayer NameAverage PointsChange from Last Week
1Scottie Scheffler18.120
2Xander Schauffele11.350
4Collin Morikawa6.460
6Wyndham Clark5.700
9Patrick Cantlay4.810
Categories
Highlights Tours

Solheim Cup 2024: Everything You Need to Know About the Tournament in Virginia

Solheim Cup 2024: Everything you need to know. (Images: Getty)
Solheim Cup 2024: Everything you need to know. (Images: Getty)

The Solheim Cup 2024 is one of the most important tournaments in women’s golf and will be held from September 13 to 15 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. Every two years, the best female players from the USA and Europe compete against each other to win the coveted trophy. With a long history and a unique match play format, the Solheim Cup is a highlight of golf.

The Solheim Cup week

The format of the Solheim Cup differs from the usual tournaments. On Friday and Saturday, there are four foursome matches in the morning and four fourball matches in the afternoon. In the foursome, two golfers from a team take it in turns to play a ball. In the fourball, both golfers play their own ball, with the best score counting. The decisive individual matches follow on the third day, in which all 24 players compete against each other in direct duels. A total of 28 points are awarded and the team with the most points wins the Solheim Cup.

The venue: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia, will host the Solheim Cup for the first time in 2024. However, the golf club is no newcomer to international team golf: it has already hosted the Presidents Cup four times. The course, which stretches along the picturesque Lake Manassas, was opened in 1991 and is considered a masterpiece of the famous golf architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. With its challenging water hazards and layout perfectly integrated into the landscape, the par-72 course not only offers visual highlights, but also strategic challenges for the players.

Solheim Cup 2024: The teams

The Solheim Cup has been held since 1990 and the rivalry between the USA and Europe is firmly anchored in this competition. To date, the USA leads the overall standings with 10 wins to 8. Nevertheless, Team Europe arrives with an impressive winning streak. After a hard-fought draw in Spain in 2023, the Europeans retained the Solheim Cup and have already won in 2021 and 2019. Captain Suzann Pettersen relies on experienced players such as Leona Maguire and Carlota Ciganda, who scored crucial points at the last Solheim Cup and are also among the team’s mainstays this year.

Meet Team Europe

The USA, on the other hand, under captain Stacy Lewis, will be relying on their experienced players such as Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson and Lilia Vu to bring the trophy back on home soil. The home advantage on the challenging course in Virginia could prove decisive as the team battles for another victory.

Get to know Team USA
Categories
Panorama

Andy Murray: From Tennis Star to Golfer

Andy Murray is now a golfer. (Image: Getty)
Andy Murray is now a golfer. (Image: Getty)

New golfer: Andy Murray has won three Grand Slam tournaments, two of them in the tennis mecca of Wimbledon (2013, 2016). The Brit was ranked number one in the world tennis rankings for 41 weeks from November 2016 and is a two-time Olympic gold medal winner in singles (2012, 2016). After his quarter-final exit in the Olympic doubles at the Paris Games, Murray finally ended his great career a few weeks ago. And what does someone like him do now in sport? The question is answered when you take a look at his CV, where his place of birth is Glasgow. So it’s no wonder that the Scot is now turning to the traditional sport of his homeland. Murray announced it on his social media pages. “I played tennis. I now play golf,” he wrote under his profile photo. And the goal of Murray is also clear: scratch.

Andy Murray is not the only tennis star, who is an avid golfer

Andy Murrays former rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are also known to be avid golfers. Djokovic, who won a gold medal in Paris this year, competed in the All-Star match at the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.

Categories
LIV Tour Uncategorized

LIV Golf Schedule 2025 Overlaps with Important PGA Tour Tournaments

The LIV Golf Singapore and The Players will be played on the same weekend. (Image: Getty)
The LIV Golf Singapore and The Players will be played on the same weekend. (Image: Getty)

The LIV Golf League has announced the first four tournaments for the 2025 schedule. LIV Golf will start its season in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, February 6-8. A week later the saudi-financed circuit will head to Australia for one of their marquee events. LIV Golf Adelaide (Feb. 14-16) will once again be played on “The Grange”. LIV Golf Hong Kong (Mar. 7-9) and LIV Golf Singapore (Mar. 14-16) round out the first events of the 2025 schedule. At first sight it is obvious, that the circuit starts the next season with an international schedule. If you also take a look on which PGA Tour events will be played parallel to LIVs events, it will show, that the league is not backing down from important and prestigious PGA Tour tournaments.

LIV Golf Singapore and The Players on the same weekend

Certainly the most notable overlap is the one between the Singapore Event and The Players (Mar. 13-16). While this might be the most notable overlap, the other three are also woth noting. The season kickoff in Saudi Arabia will take place February 6-8 parallel to the WM Phoenix Open (Feb. 6-9). A week later the Adelaide event (Feb. 14-16) and the Genesis Invitational (Feb. 13-16) are set. Last but not least the Hong Kong tournament overlaps with the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

It has to be mentioned, that due to the time difference the events will not overlap in terms of (TV-)time. Nonetheless it will be interesting to see, if there is any effect on either of the tournaments.

Categories
Travel

First European Robert Trent Jones Course: Real Club de Golf Sotogrande

The Real Club de Golf Sotogrande in Spain. (Photo: Instagram @golfsotogrande)
The Real Club de Golf Sotogrande in Spain. (Photo: Instagram @golfsotogrande)

The Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, located in San Roque, Cádiz, Spain, is a distinguished golf course known for its historic significance and carefully preserved design. This club holds the honor of being the first European course designed by the renowned architect Robert Trent Jones. After an extensive renovation in 2015, the original design was meticulously maintained, ensuring that traditional golf values are upheld.

Real Club de Golf Sotogrande: Harmonious Blend of Historical Significance, Strategic Design and Natural Beauty

The Real Club de Golf Sotogrande features an 18-hole course that caters to players of all types. Among the notable holes on the course, the 7th hole stands out as particularly iconic. This hole is a downhill par 4 with a small green protected by water on the right side. The surrounding cork oak forest adds to the visual appeal, creating a picturesque setting for golfers.

In addition to the course itself, the club is also recognized for its culinary offerings, enhancing the overall experience for members and visitors. The combination of a well-maintained course and exceptional gastronomy contributes to the club’s reputation as one of the most special in Europe. Golfers are advised to strategically navigate the course, always aiming to be on the correct side of the hole to optimize their game.

The Real Club de Golf Sotogrande represents a harmonious blend of historical significance, strategic design, and natural beauty. With its commitment to preserving the traditional values of golf and offering a challenging yet enjoyable experience, it continues to be a prominent destination for golfers from around the world.

A Short Interview with Real Club de Golf Sotogrande

Q: What are you particularly proud of at your golf club?

A: We are proud to have been the first Robert Trent Jones-designed course in Europe and above all to have been able to maintain its original design after a complete renovation in 2015. In our club you can perceive the most traditional values of golf. Our 18-hole course and our great gastronomy make Real Club de Golf Sotogrande one of the most special clubs in Europe.

Q: What makes your signature hole special?

A: Probably our 7th hole is the most iconic of the course, a not very long downhill par 4 with a small green defended by water on the right. Its forested mass of cork oaks provides a beautiful postcard view.

Q: The quick insider tip for your golf course is?

A: Always be on the correct side of the hole

Categories
Travel

Experience Golf at Waterville House & Golf Links in County Kerry, Ireland

The Waterville House & Golf Links in Ireland. (Photo: Instagram @watervillelinks/@leo.media.creator)
The Waterville House & Golf Links in Ireland. (Photo: Instagram @watervillelinks/@leo.media.creator)

Waterville House & Golf Links is situated in Waterville, County Kerry, Ireland. The course is renowned for its challenging layout and scenic view, attracting golfers from around the world. The location on the scenic coast of the Atlantic Ocean provides a striking backdrop for this esteemed golfing destination.

Waterville House & Golf Links: For Golfers of All Skill Levels

A significant aspect of Waterville House & Golf Links is its Great Links Course. The course is designed to cater to golfers of all skill levels, offering a challenging yet enjoyable experience. It is recommended that golfers use a caddy when playing the course. This ensures familiarity with the terrain and helps navigate the unique challenges presented by the links.

One of the notable features of the Great Links Course is that the tee is positioned at the highest point on the links. This setup allows for a broad overview of the course and its surroundings. The elevated tee also plays a strategic role in game play, requiring precision and careful planning for each shot.

In summary, Waterville House & Golf Links in Waterville, County Kerry, Ireland, offers a celebrated golfing experience with its Great Links Course. The course is designed to challenge and cater to golfers of all levels, and the use of a caddy is recommended for an optimal experience. The elevated tee at the highest point of the links adds a strategic element to the game.