The 2024 LIV Golf League season reached the halfway stage after its Singapore event at Sentosa Golf Club.
During coverage of the second round of the event, presenter Jim Foltz revealed that, for the first time, the League would have a mid-season transfer window. So, what exactly does it entail?
Here are the key points you need to know about LIV Golf's inaugural mid-season transfer window.
What Is The LIV Golf Mid-Season Transfer Window?
The mid-season transfer window has been introduced to "support opportunities for teams to improve their rosters during the season."
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said: “As LIV Golf grows, the League will continue to establish opportunities to strengthen the competition. By opening a trade window midway through the season, all 13 teams have an opportunity to fine-tune their rosters and assess their team’s composition and performance.
“LIV Golf is delivering another exciting opportunity for professional golf that aligns with the traditions of many team sports around the globe, promoting strategic player moves and enriched team storylines.”
When Is The LIV Golf Mid-Season Transfer Window Open?
After seven tournaments so far this season, with the most recent two coming in the last two weeks, there is now a mid-season break of a month, offering time for teams to tinker with their rosters via the window.
The window opened three days after LIV Golf Singapore, on Wednesday 8 May, and closes on Sunday 9 June - that's the date of the final round of the next tournament on the LIV Golf schedule, in Houston.
What Are The Rules Of The Transfer Window?
The window allows teams to agree to straight swaps of players with other teams with the stipulations that both teams must agree to the trade and modifications to players’ contracts can't take place.
Additionally, players in the final year of their contracts can agree to extensions with their existing teams. However, those extensions would be voided if the player ended the season in the Drop Zone.
What Is The Current State Of Play?
The inaugural LIV Golf transfer window took place after the 2023 season, introducing the first-ever trades in professional golf.
There was plenty of activity during it, too, with 4 Aces captain Dustin Johnson acquiring Harold Varner III in a trade with Range Goats GC for Peter Uihlein.
RangeGoats GC, captained by Bubba Watson, then signed Matthew Wolff from Smash GC, with Talor Gooch heading the other way to Brooks Koepka’s team.
Carlos Ortiz, who had been with Sergio Garcia's Fireballs GC, signed with Torque GC and that freed up a space for Open Zone free agent David Puig to sign for Garcia's team.
The next few weeks will likely see similar activity, although one team that won't be doing any business is Majesticks GC. The team, co-captained by Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, who are safe even if they finish in the Drop Zone, only have one tradeable teammate, Sam Horsfield.
What Happens At The End Of The Season?
Players finishing in the top 24 of the individual standings at the end of the 13th event (before the season-closing Team Championship) are in the Lock Zone and secure their 2025 spot in the League.
Players finishing between 25 and 48 are in the Open Zone. Stars in it who are out of contract will need to be re-signed by their team or picked up by another team.
Players finishing 49 and below are in the Drop Zone and are relegated out of the League. However, they will have a final chance to earn a place in the 2025 season as they qualify for the 2024 LIV Golf Promotions tournament.
What Are The Current LIV Golf Team Rosters
- 4 Aces GC: Dustin Johnson (captain), Pat Perez, Patrick Reed, Harold Varner III
- Cleeks GC: Martin Kaymer (captain), Richard Bland, Kalle Samooja, Adrian Meronk
- Crushers CG: Bryson DeChambeau (captain), Anirban Lahiri, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III
- Fireballs GC: Sergio Garcia (captain), Abraham Ancer, Eugenio Chacarra, David Puig
- Hy Flyers GC: Phil Mickelson (captain), Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale, Andy Ogletree
- Iron Heads GC: Kevin Na (captain), Scott Vincent, Danny Lee, Jinichiro Kozuma
- Legion XIII GC: Jon Rahm (captain), Tyrrell Hatton, Kieran Vincent, Caleb Surratt
- Majesticks GC: Ian Poulter (co-captain), Lee Westwood (co-captain), Henrik Stenson (co-captain), Sam Horsfield
- Range Goats GC: Bubba Watson (captain), Thomas Pieters, Matthew Wolff, Peter Uihlein
- Ripper GC: Cameron Smith (captain), Matt Jones, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert
- Smash GC: Brooks Koepka (captain), Talor Gooch, Jason Kokrak, Graeme McDowell
- Stinger GC: Louis Oosthuizen (captain), Dean Burmester, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel
- Torque GC: Joaquin Niemann (captain), Sebastian Munoz, Mito Pereira, Carlos Ortiz
