LIV Golf kicks off this Friday at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, in the United States, the second half of its 2025 season. After the first seven events of the year, ahead are six regular calendar tournaments, four in the North American country, one in Spain and another in England, in addition to the grand team final in Michigan. And to resume the schedule, a month after the stop in South Korea, some interesting incentives ranging from the debut of Josele Ballester to preparation for the US Open, not forgetting the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
The golfer from Vinarós, after giving up the Korn Ferry Tour card that was due to him for his third position in the PGA Tour University ranking, follows in the footsteps of Eugenio López-Chacarra by turning professional to play in the most Spanish team of the Saudi tour, the Fireballs. Ballester will take the place of Luis Masaveu, who becomes a reserve player, although this week both will share colours as David Puig, with a back injury, cannot compete. A complex situation that Sergio García, the captain, will have to manage.
For Josele, this debut in LIV Golf in Virginia also represents a high-level preparation for the US Open at the Oakmont Country Club next week, where, alongside Jon Rahm, he will form the small representation of Spanish golfers. A tune-up for the third major of the season in which, in addition to the golfer from Castellón and the golfer from Barrika, twelve other players from the Saudi tour will be involved: Richard Bland, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Jinichiro Kozuma, Marc Leishman, Phil Mickelson, Joaquín Niemann, Carlos Ortiz, Patrick Reed and Cameron Smith.
Niemann, with three victories in the first half of the season, arrives in Virginia as the leader of the overall circuit standings. Behind him is DeChambeau, with one title and just over 20 points behind the Chilean. And hot on his heels, Jon Rahm, who despite not having lifted any trophies in LIV Golf so far this season, continues his unstoppable streak of top 10 finishes that allow him to continue aspiring to repeat his title in the circuit’s order of merit. But the excitement looking at the table is also in the fight for fourth place…
After the visit to Dallas from June 27 to 29, the next tournament after this week’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, the first of the top five in the overall LIV Golf standings who does not have a place in the Open Championship next July will receive a passport to Royal Portrush. An incentive more than interesting for players like Sergio García, who currently occupies the fourth place in the table, or David Puig, absent this week due to those back problems that have plagued him since the PGA Championship, but who could try if he manages to reach the Maridoe Golf Club event.
And in case the debut of Josele, the preparation for the US Open and that place up for grabs for the British were not enough incentives, the start of this second half of the tour, with only six regular events ahead, makes players start to seriously look at a ranking where the top 24 will have a guaranteed spot in LIV Golf next season, but where players occupying positions 25th to 48th will be in an open zone, both for changes and for continuity or exit, ahead of the four relegation spots.
The team competition is also starting to gain special relevance considering that the top three after the next six tournaments will avoid the first round in the team final that closes the calendar. For now, it would be the Legion XIII of Jon Rahm, the Fireballs of Sergio García and the Crushers. Although what happened last season showed that the only advantage is skipping a round because any of the teams can fight for the final victory in the Team Championship Michigan at The Cardinal at Saint John’s with a good weekend,
As for the course hosting the stars of LIV Golf this week, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, it is a par 71 of 7,354 yards joining the Saudi tour for the first time, having hosted last year’s Solheim Cup and four editions of the Presidents Cup. A couple of years ago, a Saudi tour event was also played in Virginia, at the Trump National Golf Club, where Harold Varner III, in the individual standings, and Torque GC, in the team standings, claimed victory. This time the circuit changes venue with Maaden, the main sponsor for the second time this season as the mining company also sponsored the season’s inaugural event in Riyadh.
