LIV Golf: Captains now also threatened with relegation

Until now, the captains of the Liv Golf teams have been under species protection, so to speak. Until now, they could not be "relegated", no matter how well or badly they played. But according to a report in the Telegraph, this is now set to end. According to the English daily newspaper, which is always well informed when it comes to LIV Golf, the Tour organizers have decided that after the 2025 season, the "skippers" who are not at least among the top 48 players in the annual ranking will also have to leave the Tour.

Ian Poulter before the end of the LIV Tour

This circumstance could immediately claim a very prominent victim: Ian Poulter. The co-captain of the Majesticks has collected just 4.5 points this season and has never finished higher than 13th. The Englishman still has two events left to improve his position. So far, the top 24 players on the LIV Tour have retained their spots. Positions 25-48 in the so-called Open Zone are also guaranteed a Tour card for next year, but may be transferred to other teams. From 49th place in the season rankings, you lose the right to play on the Tour, which is funded by Saudi Arabia.

As this now also applies to the captains of the four-man teams, according to the report, Poulter is in acute danger. His team could be hit even harder. Because teammates Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood are also hanging by a thread. The two are ranked 46th and 47th in the Order of Merit and are barely able to come close to their former world class.

LIV Golf strives for world ranking points

The fact that Poulter and others now have to worry is probably mainly to do with the LIV Tour's efforts to gain world ranking points. So far, all applications have been rejected by the committee that regulates the awarding of world ranking points. One of the reasons given was the lack of competition in the league. There were too few opportunities to get onto the Tour or lose your eligibility to play. For other "LIV players" such as Jon Rahm, who still have ambitions to win majors, world ranking points are essential in order to qualify for the major tournaments. With the new regulation, the still new LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil seems to want to accommodate the committee. Whether this will work remains to be seen.

And what if Poulter really does lose his card? Then he can either rest on the money he collected for his move to the Tour (estimated at 20 million dollars) or take a place in the Majesticks team, which would then be more of an administrative and organizational nature. He would also still be eligible to play on the DP World Tour, provided his fines for leaving the European circuit without permission have been paid.