WEST PALM BEACH: LIV Golf has revealed the 12 teams from the 48-player field competing in the LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster, the new organization’s third event of the season taking place from July 29 to 31 at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.
The LIV Golf Invitational Series features teams of four where players compete as individuals and teams for both points and prize money. Captains and teams are finalized the week of each event, as each tournament in LIV Golf’s first season may showcase a different field.
In the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London at Centurion Club, team Stinger GC, with captain Louis Oosthuizen and fellow South Africans Charl Schwartzel, Hennie du Plessis and Branden Grace, took first place with a total score of 20-under-par.
Meanwhile, 4 Aces GC captain Dustin Johnson and his all-American line-up of Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed took the team trophy in the LIV Golf Invitational Portland, LIV Golf’s second event of the season.
The American foursome will again compete together to defend their first LIV Golf team title against a field that welcomes four notable names making their LIV Golf debuts: 2016 Open Champion Henrik Stenson, former world No. 3 Paul Casey, 11-time champion Jason Kokrak and veteran pro Charles Howell III.
Every team has a LIV Golf-appointed team captain who selects his squad. All members of the four-player teams, including the captain, compete in the three-day tournament. The player with the lowest 54-hole stroke play total is the individual winner. In the team competition, the best two stroke play scores in the first two rounds count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores count. The lowest overall team score after 54 holes is the team winner.
Below are notes on the teams for the LIV Golf Invitational Bedminster:
4 ACES GC – The all-American team captained by Dustin Johnson won by seven strokes in Portland after a lineup revision. Newcomers Patrick Reed and Pat Perez were added to the team for Portland while Talor Gooch moved over from Torque GC. Reed and Johnson tied for third individually, with Reed claiming the podium spot via tiebreaker.
CLEEKS GC – Captain Martin Kaymer has three new teammates, including former Niblicks GC captain Graeme McDowell, for his all-European team. Kaymer (Germany) and McDowell (Northern Ireland) have each won a US Open and had also delivered the clinching putts for Europe in the Ryder Cup (McDowell in 2010, Kaymer in 2012). Englishman Laurie Canter and Spain’s David Puig are the new additions.
CRUSHERS GC – Paul Casey and Charles Howell III make their LIV Golf debuts in Bedminster by joining captain Bryson DeChambeau’s team. Casey and Howell add plenty of experience, combining for 1,100-plus worldwide starts in their professional careers. DeChambeau and Shaun Norris are the two carryovers from Portland.
FIREBALLS GC – The all-Spanish-speaking team captained by Sergio Garcia remains intact. Thanks to a birdie by Carlos Ortiz on the final hole, Fireballs GC broke a tie with Torque GC to claim the $500,000 team prize for third place in Portland. Ortiz and Abraham Ancer played for Mexico in the Tokyo Olympics, while Garcia played for Spain at the Rio Olympics in 2016. Former amateur star Eugenio Chacarra of Spain made his pro debut in Portland, finishing T-27.
HY FLYERS GC – Justin Harding, one of the most consistent performers in the first two LIV Golf events, returns to captain Phil Mickelson’s team. Harding tied for 10th in London while playing for Hy Flyers GC, then tied for 8th in Portland with Crushers GC. Matthew Wolff and Bernd Wiesberger remain on the team.
IRON HEADS GC – Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent will join his third different team after playing for Smashers GC in London and Cleeks GC in Portland. Captain Kevin Na and Sadom Kaewkanjana have been the constants for Iron Heads in all three events, with Phachara Khongwatmai joining the team in Portland.
MAJESTICKS GC – Major winner and Olympic medalist Henrik Stenson makes his LIV Golf debut by joining captain Lee Westwood’s team. Stenson becomes the team’s first non-English golfer, replacing Laurie Canter, now with Cleeks GC. Stenson, Westwood and teammate Ian Poulter have combined to make nearly 1,900 worldwide starts in their careers. Majesticks took third place in London and eighth in Portland.
NIBLICKS GC – Hudson Swafford becomes captain of the new all-American team. Swafford, who played for Torque GC in London before joining Niblicks GC in Portland, takes over for Graeme McDowell (now with Cleeks GC). Peter Uihlein, formerly of Crushers GC, joins the team, while Turk Pettit returns to the team after playing for Cleeks GC in Portland.
PUNCH GC – Travis Smyth joins the all-Australian team captained by Wade Ormsby. Smyth will appear on his third different team, having played for Crushers GC in London and Niblicks GC in Portland. Smyth, from New South Wales, replaces fellow Aussie Blake Windred. Matt Jones (T16) was the team’s top performer in Portland.
SMASH GC – New LIV Golf member Jason Kokrak joins the team captained by Brooks Koepka. The big-hitting Kokrak has won three tournaments since October 2020 and will add a powerful presence off the tee. Smash GC finished sixth in Koepka’s debut in Portland, with all four players finishing inside the top 30. Chase Koepka played for Hy Flyers GC in London before joining his brother in Portland.
STINGER GC – The all-South African team captained by Louis Oosthuizen has been the most successful in the first two LIV Golf events, winning by 14 strokes in London and finishing second in Portland. Stinger GC players also have won each of the first two individual trophies with Charl Schwartzel (London) and Branden Grace (Portland).
TORQUE GC – The all-Japanese team captained by Hideto Tanihara finished fourth in Portland, just one stroke off the podium. Jinichiro Kozuma was the team’s top performer, placing solo sixth in the individual standings and ranking as the second-best putter among all 48 players in the field. Yuki Inamori, making his LIV Golf debut in Portland, tied for 10th, while Tanihara and Ryosuke Kinoshita also finished inside the top 24.
