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08 Feb, 2025
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LIV Golf’s nine axed stars after first-ever event and what happened to them
@Source: Aaron Morris
LIV Golf's line-up has seen a slight change since its first season in 2022, with several players being shown the door. The initial eight-tournament schedule announced in March 2022 included just 48 players, but this number dwindled after the inaugural Invitational Series Centurion event at St Albans in June. Big names like Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed were roped in for LIV's second event in Portland, while many one-hit wonders parted ways with the organisation. But what became of the LIV stars who played at Centurion but didn't return for the second event? Here, Mirror Golf explains... Oliver Bekker Oliver Bekker pocketed a cool £642,000 ($800K) for his T6 finish at Centurion, but it was a short-lived stint for the 40-year-old South African, reports the Mirror US. Along with several other players, Bekker was fined by the European Tour and suspended by the PGA Tour for three co-sanctioned events, making a comeback at the BMW International at the Golfclub Munchen Eichenried, where he failed to make the cut. Since dipping his toes into LIV, Bekker has returned to the European and Sunshine Tours, managing to secure just one victory at the Challenge Tour's Dimension Data Pro-Am in February 2023 with a four-stroke lead over Adam Blomme. Oliver Fisher Oliver Fisher, who hasn't won an event in nearly 14 years since his victory at the 2011 Czech Open, has made a comeback to the DP World Tour after pocketing a £112K ($140K) purse from finishing T38 at Centurion. The 36-year-old participated in eight European Tour events in 2024, with his best finish being a T62 at Fontanals Golf Club's Second Stage in November. Viraj Madappa Meanwhile, Viraj Madappa secured a cool £125K ($156K) cash prize after finishing at T30 at the Centurion. He has since competed on the Professional Golf Tour of India, the Asian Tour, and the KPGA Tour. Ratchanon Chantananuwat Ratchanon Chantananuwat, who became the youngest-ever winner of an Official World Golf Ranking event at just 15 years old by winning the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in April 2022, was invited by Greg Norman to play at Centurion where he finished a respectable T38. However, the now 17-year-old decided to remain an amateur, competing in the Amateur Championship the following week and again the next year at Hillside Golf Club, reaching the semi-finals before being defeated by Ronan Kleu. The Bangkok native is currently ranked 65th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and has started a collegiate career with Stanford. His most recent event was the 2024 PIF Saudi International, where he finished ninth. Andy Ogletree Andy Ogletree had a disappointing last-place finish at LIV's inaugural event, pocketing £96K ($120K) despite a 24-over-par score. He was swiftly shown the exit but found success on the Asian Tour after winning the International Series Egypt. Despite this setback, it wasn't his final appearance under the LIV banner. Thanks to an impressive 2023 season on the Asian Tour, Ogletree earned the International Series Order of Merit and secured a spot in the 2024 LIV Golf League. Playing for Phil Mickelson's HyFlyers GC, he finished 34th in the league standings for the 2024 season and will continue with the team into the 2025 season. JC Ritchie, who finished T17 at Centurion, chose to return to the DP World Tour and also compete on the Challenge Tour. The South African golfer, with 12 professional wins under his belt, hasn't tasted victory since the 2022 Jonsson Workwear Open, where he triumphed over Christopher Mivis by six strokes. Pablo Larrazabal Pablo Larrazabal had a modest T13 finish at Centurion before heading back to the European circuit to participate in the BMW International Open, where he finished T5. However, his decision to play in the LIV event resulted in him being barred from the 2022 Scottish Open. Larrazabal has since made a triumphant return to the DP World Tour, clinching an eighth European Tour title at the Korea Championship in April 2023 and following it up with a victory at the KLM Open the next month. Blake Windred Meanwhile, Blake Windred could only manage a T38 finish on the Centurion, pocketing £112K ($140K) before heading back to the Challenge Tour. As of February 2025, he's making strides on both the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia despite not having won an event since the Victorian PGA Championship in 2021. He currently sits at 1,590 in the OWGR. Kevin Yuan also earned his spot at the LIV event at Centurion thanks to the Asia Tour's International Series, finishing T33 at St Albans. However, he was back on the Asian Tour just a week later for the Korean Open, where he failed to make the cut. So far in 2025, Yuan has competed in two events on the tour, securing fourth place at January's Smart Infinity Philippine Open and eighth place at the International Series India the following week. He is currently ranked 607th in the OWGR.
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