LIV Golf continues its European journey and is making its next stop in the UK. The home of the first ever LIV tournament back in 2022, the tournament has previously been played just outside of London at the Centurion club but this year the great and good from LIV descend on the JCB Golf and Country Club for the very first time.
With just two more events due to be played after this weekend, the race is on to try and secure vital prize money in the hope of climbing the overall LIV individual standings as well as avoid the dreaded danger zone where some on the tour could end up losing their playing rights.
Huge crowds are expected throughout the weekend and with the last few LIV events going right down to the wire, plenty more fireworks can be expected this weekend.
Ahead of the action teeing off, here is everything you need to know about this weekend’s LIV Golf UK.
The Course
The action this week will take place at the JCB Golf and Country Club. Located in the Midlands, the course is a monster and measures just under 7,400 yards.
With water and thick luscious rough a feature throughout the course, without a doubt the signature hole is the 17th.
Taking inspiration from TPC Sawgrass, the 17th is a par 3 that contains an island green. However, the main difference with its Floridian counterpart is that the hole measures a whopping 255 yards. Requiring deadly accuracy, any player that hopes to win this week will need to ensure that they leave the hole unscathed.
Who Looks Set to Feature This Week
As is the case at most LIV events, the favourite for victory is Jon Rahm.
Since making his move to the breakaway tour, Rahm has yet to get his hands on a LIV trophy but his consistency has been remarkable. The fiery Spaniard is yet to finish outside of the top ten in any LIV event that he has been able to complete.
A force of nature, at times this season Rahm looks like he has been burdened by being the face of LIV, but in recent weeks he seems to have rediscovered his swing.
A tie for seventh place at last week’s Open was a step in the right direction and would have given Rahm plenty of encouragement ahead of the challenge that lies ahead.
The two time major winner will want nothing more than to get his hands on a first LIV trophy and few would bet against it happening this weekend.
Next in the betting comes Bryson DeChambeau. Golf’s man of the moment, DeChambeau’s rise to becoming one of the game’s most popular figures took another significant leap when he released his latest YouTube video of him playing alongside President Trump.
The U.S Open Champion from earlier this season, the American has been brilliant in the majors this season but he will be looking to bounce back after a poor showing where he missed the cut at last week’s Open.
With his power game set to be ideally suited to the challenge that is presented this week, there will be high hopes that he will be able to win his first LIV tournament of the season.
Rounding out the top three in the betting is Tyrell Hatton. One of the last men to take their place in the LIV 2024 lineup, Hatton seems to have found LIV to his liking and after finishing in the top five at Mayakoba, Miami and Singapore, he became the first Englishman to win a LIV title when emerging victorious in Nashville.
Although he missed the cut at the Open, he posted another top five finish at the last LIV tournament in Spain and arrives here bang in form. Due to get a lot of support from the watching crowd, Hatton could be the best value option of the week.
Who is Looking For Something to Prove?
Alongside Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Cam Smith are the other heavyweights of LIV and whenever the majors come around, LIV hopes usually rest on their shoulders.
Koepka has shown in his career that he lives for the majors, a five time major winner, he would have hoped to have claimed yet another of the games greatest prizes but would end up being left frustrated.
Unable to break into the top twenty of any major this year, Koepka hasn’t quite been able to match his consistency of previous years but will look to finish his year strongly by being crowned LIV’s player of the year.
A winner in Singapore, Koepka has four LIV titles to his name and you can never bet against him being a contender any time he tees it up.
Cam Smith’s major year got off to a solid start as he finished sixth at the 2024 Masters. Looking to land a second career major, hopes would have been high as he prepared for the year’s remaining three majors but he would end up being frustrated as he would miss the cut at the Open and finish well down the field in both the PGA Championship and U.S Open.
With four top ten finishes in LIV events so far this season, Smith has been close to winning a fourth LIV title but he has ultimately fallen short.
Having won the Open back in 2022, the greatest moment of the Australian’s career has come on British soil and another special week could lie in store.
What of The British Hopes?
With the course set to be a buzz over the next three days, the atmosphere at the course will go up a notch if a British player can work their way into contention.
Much of the hopes will rest squarely on the shoulders of Tyrell Hatton, however there are others who will hope to play a major part in proceedings.
Richard Bland isn’t the most glamourous name in the LIV field but the veteran has won two Senior Majors this year. Super consistent, he has two top tens on tour and has shown he can mix it up with the young guns. Having grown up on courses like the JCB, everything looks to be in favour ahead of a big week.
Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are two stalwarts of the British golfing scene but since moving to LIV both have struggled to make an impact.
Both are yet to win and their team, Majesticks, is still one of the only franchises not to have tasted team glory. Whilst both are safe from exemption from the Tour, they will both hope to offer up a reminder of their qualities in front of a passionate home crowd and finally get their LIV careers going.
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
