LIV GOLF ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL FIELD FOR LIV GOLF PROMOTIONS IN ABU DHABI
London and West Palm Beach, FL (November 30, 2023) – LIV Golf today announced the field for the inaugural LIV Golf Promotions at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from December 8 – 10. The tournament marks a pivotal new event on the global golf calendar as players from around the world compete for three coveted spots in the 2024 LIV Golf League.
Beginning Friday, December 8, the three-day, four-round competition will feature more than 70 rising stars and accomplished pros including a Major Champion, Ryder Cup and Walker Cup standouts, former top-ranked amateurs and NCAA champions, and winners on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour. Open exemption criteria gave accomplished players from around the world the opportunity to enter LIV Golf Promotions, where the top three finishers will earn their place to be drafted onto one of the LIV Golf League teams for next season, which kicks off in Mexico, February 2-4, 2024, with LIV Golf Mayakoba.
"LIV Golf Promotions creates an open pathway for players to compete in the LIV Golf League, and the interest shown in the event’s inaugural year reinforces the significance of these new opportunities for the sport,” said LIV Golf Commissioner and CEO Greg Norman. “There is exceptional talent from all corners of the globe and LIV Golf is establishing a platform for these current and rising stars of the game to build their careers in new, exciting ways. LIV Golf’s future is bright, and our anticipation grows to see which competitors will be part of this game-changing league in 2024.”
Nearly 60 players will tee off in round one on December 8, and those who finish in the top 20 and ties advance to Saturday’s second round, where scores will reset, and the field will be joined by a category of players who automatically qualified for day two of competition. The top 20 players (after tiebreakers) following round two will advance to the final day of competition, where scores will reset once more for a 36-hole shootout. At Sunday’s conclusion, the top three finishers will receive highly coveted spots in the LIV Golf League for 2024, where they will compete in each of the league’s 14 stops on the 2024 global schedule. In addition, players finishing fourth to 10th place will earn full exemption for all 2024 events on The International Series sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
With an average age of 31, including 38 players under the age of 30, the field is full of next-generation talent. Among the rising stars are the Irish duo of Max Kennedy and Ryan Griffin, both renowned for their Palmer Cup successes. The lineup for LIV Golf Promotions also includes 22-year-old Samson-Yunhe Zheng from China, the field's highest-ranked amateur and the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship runner-up.
“I’m really excited to compete in Abu Dhabi for the chance to play on LIV Golf in 2024,” said Zheng. “I’ve been following the league closely this year, and the opportunity to play team golf with some of the best players in the game is very special. LIV Golf provides a great environment for players to build their career whilst sharpening their game, and I’m excited to compete and make that dream a reality.”
The field also includes Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, 2013 PGA Championship winner Jason Dufner, former Ryder Cup stars Victor Dubuisson of France and Jeff Overton of the U.S., and former PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour winners such as Chris Stroud, Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño, and Alvaro Quiroz.
Additionally, former LIV Golf players Sihwan Kim, Chase Koepka, Jed Morgan, and James Piot, who were relegated at the end of the 2023 season, as well as reserve Laurie Canter, will be trying to reclaim their LIV Golf status at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in December. Morgan, who completed a full season with the all-Australian Rippers GC team made up of Cam Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones, shared his anticipation ahead of LIV Golf Promotions.
“Playing alongside Cam, Leish and Jonesy this past year was an unbelievable experience, both personally and professionally,” said Morgan. “Helping the team win in Bedminster, playing in front of a home crowd in Adelaide and sharing those memories with the guys are highlights that are tough to beat. I couldn't quite put together the consistent play I wanted to, but I learned a lot from the season and I know what I’m capable of. Obviously, the goal is to return to the Rippers, so I know what I’ve got to do in Abu Dhabi.”
LIV Golf Promotions will be available globally live and on-demand on LIV Golf Plus, the LIV Golf YouTube channel, and broadcast partners around the world, with live coverage on Friday and Saturday from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 – 5:00 p.m. (all times local). For more information, visit LIV Golf Promotions 2023.