The Individual Championship of the third LIV Golf season is just one round away from being decided at the circuit's final regular event at Bolingbrook Golf Club in Chicago.
There are issues at the top and bottom of the Individual Standings to be resolved, with the LIV Golf futures of several players under severe threat.
At the start of the event, nine players were in the Drop Zone – Scott Vincent, Branden Grace, Bubba Watson, Kalle Samooja, Kieran Vincent, Wild Card players Hudson Swafford and Anthony Kim and reserves Laurie Canter and Ben Campbell.
Two of those, Swafford and Kim, are not facing relegation due to their status as players not assigned to teams, while Canter and Campbell can't be relegated either.
It was initially thought that, as a captain of one of the teams, Range Goats GC’s Watson would also be safe from the drop. However, before the event it was confirmed that captains were no longer exempt from relegation.
Golf Monthly understands relegated players can be re-signed if there is a business case for keeping the player, but that’s hardly an assurance he would be safe, meaning the two-time Masters champion had plenty to do in Chicago to ensure he didn’t need to rely on the LIV Golf Promotions event for a final chance to continue his career in the League.
Various permutations could also mean that seven players who began the tournament in the Open Zone, Henrik Stenson, Mito Pereira, Phil Mickelson, Jinichiro Kozuma, Ian Poulter, Harold Varner III and Pat Perez, may also be dragged into the Drop Zone.
As for the five facing relegation who started in the Drop Zone, it’s looking particularly forlorn for Watson with one round to play. He sits 52nd on the leaderboard on nine-over needing a minimum of 3.10 points to reach the Open Zone. To get them, he’ll need to finish 15th or higher, and he’s currently 11 shots behind that threshold.
Two of the players, Kieran Vincent and Grace, are four-over in T38 after the second round. Vincent needs at least 5.29 points to make it out of the Drop Zone, equating to 13th or higher. He sat six shots beneath that target heading into Sunday. As for Grace, things are a little brighter, but not by much. He needs to finish 15th or higher to have any hope of avoiding relegation.
Kieran’s brother Scott begins the third round in T27 at two-over. Anywhere 20th or above will give him a chance, and he starts the day just two shots adrift of his minimum target.
That leaves Samooja, who is trying to extend his LIV Golf career only a year after earning promotion. The Finn has given himself a great chance, too. He’s T7 at three-under. If he maintains that, he’ll earn 13 points – more than enough to save himself. As it is, even 14th might be enough, depending on how Perez, who is currently 49th on seven-over, finishes.
With Samooja currently the only one of the five set to finish outside the Drop Zone, that means, without a dramatic turnaround, Perez will be the one to take his place. To have a chance of avoiding that, he'd need to finish in the top 24.
At the top, it’s much more clear-cut. Jon Rahm will win the title if he finishes ahead or equal to Joaquin Niemann among the top 15 places on the Chicago leaderboard.
If Niemann finishes 16th or 17th, Rahm has to finish in the top 24. If Niemann finishes 18th or worse, Rahm wins the title and the $18m bonus.
For Niemann to guarantee the title, he must finish in the top three ahead of Rahm. If Niemann finishes fourth or lower, his fate will be determined by Rahm’s place on the leaderboard.
It's currently Rahm who is poised to take the title. He’s top at seven-under, but Niemann is only three shots behind in fourth, meaning it’s all to play for as we approach the final 18 holes of the Individual Championship season.
