As well as the five LIV golfers who are out of contract following the end of the 2023 League season, four more players are in even greater danger of losing their status on the big-money circuit.
In total, six players finished in the Drop Zone of the individual standings. However, while Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer are exempt from relegation as captains of Majesticks GC and Cleeks GC respectively, for Jediah Morgan, James Piot, Chase Koepka and Sihwan Kim, their futures on the circuit are far more perilous.
All is not completely lost for the quartet, though. Even though they fell beneath the Open Zone that would have given them a chance to earn a new contract in the free agency stage of the transfer window, they each have an opportunity to claim a place among the 48 players for next season’s League via the LIV Golf Promotions event, which will be held in Abu Dhabi between 8 and 10 December.
The tournament will take place over three days and 72 holes. Meanwhile, current LIV Golf players and those who compete on other circuits can play. The first day will be played over 18 holes, with the top 20 from it progressing to the next 18 holes of action on day two.
It is at that point where Morgan, Piot, Koepka and Kim will enter the competition, with the scores reset from day one and the top 20 again progressing, this time to the final day, which will feature 36 holes.
From there, it will be a battle to finish in the top three and not only claim prize money of either $200,000, $150,000 or $100,000 , but, more importantly, a card for the 2024 season.
If one or more of those players from the Drop Zone misses out on the top three, there could still be some consolation in the form of exemptions into each of the 2024 International Series events. However, to achieve that, they will need to finish between fourth and 10th in the tournament.
Any player who earns that right will then have another route back to LIV Golf, but not until 2025. That's because the winner of the International Series Order of Merit will gain an automatic slot for the season after next, a route Andy Ogletree successfully navigated to earn his place in the 2024 League.
Competition is likely to be intense given the potentially life-changing financial rewards a season with LIV Golf could bring as well as the calibre of players likely to appear in the event, with eligibility for PGA Tour and DP World Tour winners from the last two years, Ryder Cup participants, Presidents Cup participants and Major winners between 2019 and 2023, among others.
Any relegated player who misses out on both a 2024 LIV Golf card and exemption to tournaments on the International Series would most likely choose the Asian Tour, which is an ally of LIV Golf, to ply his trade.
Also, spots on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour can’t be discounted, either through the players reapplying for membership or, like former LIV Golf player Turk Pettit is pursuing, via PGA Tour Q School.
However, that will likely depend on a a satisfactory outcome to talks over a framework agreement between the two tours and the Saudi Public Investment Fund that bankrolls LIV Golf.
