The golf world is slowly climbing out of The Open fever. Although a total of 18 LIV golfers teed it off at the major, only 11 of them made the cut with just one professional inside the top 10. Nevertheless, they would be hoping to wash away their worries at the 11th edition of the Saudi-backed league that is set to take place in the United Kingdom soon. Yes, we are talking about LIV Golf UK!

The tournament on the PIF-funded circuit will tee off on July 26 at the JCB Golf and Country Club. As is the case in any event on the breakaway league, the contest will also boast a prize purse of $25 million. But only one will manage to get the winner’s cut from the same!

Top picks at the 2024 LIV Golf UK

As per the field, a total of 54 golfers will tee off at the LIV Golf event in the United Kingdom. Aside from the two wildcards, the 52 athletes who make up the 13 teams will also hope to clinch the title of team champion along with lifting the individual win. Meanwhile, there are bound to be favorites among the fans as to who might end up victorious.

1. Cameron Smith: The Australian had emerged triumphant in the field at the 2023 edition of the LIV Golf event that was held in London. He did so by carding a 15-under all the while leading his squad, Ripper GC, to a T2 finish at the team event. Although he doesn’t have a win this season, Smith boasts five top-10 finishes, including a T2 at the tournament in Hong Kong. The 30-year-old would surely look to increase his tally of wins on the circuit to four, the last three of which came in 2023.

2. Joaquin Niemann: He is undoubtedly the golfer who has the best finishes this season. The Chilean athlete has a total of eight top-10 finishes, two of which include victories at Mayakoba and Jeddah. Moreover, he is placed at the top of the season-long leaderboard with a whopping 165.40 points and would surely hope to keep his lead with a win in the UK.

3. Jon Rahm: The Spaniard has been the most consistent player out of the 54 athletes, even more so than Niemann. Even though the 29-year-old hasn’t raked in any wins this season, he has managed to clinch the second spot on the season-long leaderboard with 9 top-10 finishes. The 10th start he made ended in a WD owing to an infection on his toes. Regardless of the same, he made a scintillating comeback with a T3 at Nashville, followed by a T10 at Andalucia and a T7 finish at the recently ended Open Championship. Underestimating him would be the worst mistake a golfer can make.

4. Sergio Garcia: Fresh off a win at the LIV Golf event in Andalucia, the 44-year-old would surely be looking forward to leaving a mark again at the PIF-funded circuit. He boasts four top-10 finishes, out of which two are runner-up placements at the tournaments that were held in Mayakoba and Miami, with the last one being a T5 at Houston. With 123.24 points, the golfer is currently trailing Rahm closely on the leaderboard and would aim to shoot past him to contend with Niemann for the top spot.

5. Bryson DeChambeau: Touted as ‘America’s favorite’ by many, the 2-time major champ will look to carry forward the momentum he built up till now despite missing the cut at the Open. He has six top-10 finishes from 10 starts in the Saudi-backed league while boasting three top-10 finishes in the first three majors including a victory at Pinehurst No. 2. What’s more, with a T6 at the Masters and a a runner-up finish at the PGA Championship, the ‘Scientist’ has proved to be a dominant force on the greens. And he would hope to do the same at the JCB Golf and Country Club!

A test for the professionals in the UK

The renowned Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design designed the par-72 layout. The grounds spanning 7308 yards pose a challenging game to professional athletes while allowing the average golfer an unforgettable experience. The JCB Golf Course at the Country Club spans a whopping 240 acres of lush green countryside, which boasts aesthetically pleasing tee boxes, sweeping fairways, and interesting complexes.

The 18-hole layout, the brainchild of Lord Anthony Bamford, will be hosting a LIV Golf event for the first time and the golfers will be able to hone their skills at the course in Staffordshire. The 244-yard, par-3 17th hole is especially dubbed as ‘brutal’ and would surely pose a grand challenge to the 54 players teeing it up at LIV Golf UK. An exciting weekend seems to be in the cards for the golfing community!