2024 LIV Golf Las Vegas: Power Rankings, Defending Champion, Prize Money, and Major Details

A scintillating start to the 2024 LIV Golf calendar! The Mayakoba event pumped up the excitement of the community to grand heights as the circuit saw a new champion emerge. Now, the Saudi-backed league is on its way to Las Vegas for the first time to witness its second tournament of the season from the 8th to the 10th of February. Besides, it appears to be a much-anticipated event.

The competition would showcase a field of 54 athletes during it out for a cut of the whopping $25 million prize purse. $20 million, out of the same, is kept aside for the individual competition, while the rest would be awarded to the top 3 teams. Well, naturally, the attention would surely be on a few names in the field that have the utmost chance to rake in the winner’s cut and the trophy, along with the title!

Top contenders for the 2024 LIV Golf Las Vegas

The hype is building up once again as the group of players gears up to duke it out individually and as a team on the field. There would be a total of 13 teams, totaling 52 golfers, leaving the other two not part of any squads. Moreover, there would not be any defending champion for the same owing to the event being played in Las Vegas for the first time. Anyhow, there would surely be some favorites to win the same.

1. Jon Rahm: The current world No. 3 is indubitably a strong player to grace the PIF-funded league in 2024. He finished T3 at the Mayakoba event with a 10-under 203, which also helped him lead his team, Legion XIII GC, to victory in their debut tournament with a 24-under. What’s more, his previous 3 appearances apart from the LIV Golf event all ended with the Spaniard finishing inside the top 10, with the last of the same coming at the DP World Tour Championship with a T5 placement. The 29-year-old is truly a fan favorite to win the event.

2. Joaquin Niemann: The first LIV Golf champion of 2024 carded his best-ever performance in his career with a 12-under 59 on the first round at Mayakoba, propelling him to his first victory on the alternate tour. Besides, his win also pushed his team to a T3 finish at the team event with a total of 17 under. That’s not all; in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic that took place in January, he was able to finish T4 while emerging victorious at the 2023 ISPS HANDA Australian Open back in December. The athlete has emerged to become a reckoning force in the sport.

3. Sergio Garcia: Although the Fireballs GC skipper does not have any wins on the PIF-funded circuit, the Spanish professional is undoubtedly a player to look out for. His runner-up finish, carding a 12-under 201, the same as the champ, was able to threaten Niemann and keep him on his toes for four playoff holes. This alone stands as enough proof of the golfer’s skills and capability to emerge victorious on the greens. Fascinatingly, Las Vegas might be the break that Garcia needs to open his LIV Golf books.

4. Talor Gooch: There is a reason he became the season-ending Individual Champion of 2023. A total of three victories in Adelaide, Singapore, and Andulacia, along with a runner-up finish in Jeddah, was more than enough for Gooch to cement his place at the top of the leaderboards and claim the title for himself. Although he finished T15 in Mayakoba, the 32-year-old would be hoping to replicate his success from the previous year on the greens.

5. Brooks Koepka: His second 2023 victory at LIV Golf Jeddah was enough to propel him to the T3 position on the season-long leaderboard in the 50-player field. What’s more, he was successful in carrying forward his momentum into 2024 as the five-time major champ was able to finish T5 with a score of 8-under 205. Underestimating him would be the worst mistake one can make. Truly a favorite to emerge victorious in Las Vegas.

The three-day challenge at Las Vegas Country Club

The field of athletes would be playing at the Las Vegas Country Club over the three days of play. The course, which was established in 1967, was designed by the legendary Edmund B. Ault and was further renovated by Ron Garl in 1981. Interestingly, it will be hosting the first U.S.-based event in the Saudi-backed league of the season. Moreover, the grounds were further modernized by Mark Rathert in 2009, which then went ahead to include the current “traditional tree-lined, par-72, 7203-yard course.”

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Touted to have one of the best fairways, the layout boasts several lakes, back-to-back par-5 holes on the 9th and 10th, along distinct bunkering, allowing professionals to test their limits. One thing is for sure: the sport will be able to witness an exciting display of golf this week in Las Vegas.

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