CHICAGO: Some of the world’s top golfers are set to tee off at the LIV Golf Invitational Chicago, the tour’s fifth event of the year, from Sept. 16 to 18 at Rich Harvest Farms.
The global field showcases seven No. 1-ranked players in their respective countries, 13 Olympians, 14 different nations, and with 22 combined Major wins. Twenty of the field’s 48 players have 10 or more professional wins in their careers, including current and future stars of the game who have won NCAA National Championships and US Amateur Championships.
Former world No. 1 and two-time Major winner Dustin Johnson will aim for back-to-back individual victories following a thrilling win at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston, where he sank a lengthy eagle putt on the first playoff hole to defeat LIV Golf newcomers Joaquin Niemann and Anirban Lahiri.
The Chicago field includes 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith, who shot 14 under par and finished just off the podium in his LIV Golf debut in Boston. Also making his second LIV Golf appearance is two-time Masters champion and former world No. 2 Bubba Watson, who will make on-air contributions to live event coverage and serve as a non-playing captain. Four-time Major winner and former world No. 1 Brooks Koepka, 2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed and six-time Major winner and World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson are among the 12 Major champions who will compete at Rich Harvest Farms.
Johnson (94 points) is now leading the LIV Golf Invitational Series Individual points standings followed by South African Branden Grace (77), Mexico’s Carlos Ortiz (48), and Americans Talor Gooch (48) and Matthew Wolff (47). Players finishing in the top 24 at each 48-player invitational series tournament receive points ranging from 40 (first place) to one (21st to 24th). The player with the most points after the seven regular season events will be named the individual champion. The top three finishers will earn respectively $18 million, $8 million, and $4 million.
The LIV Golf Invitational Chicago features the sport’s new format where players compete for $25 million, the chance to become the tour’s fifth individual champion and earn points toward the season-long individual competition. The 48-man field will also play across 12 teams of four players each as they prepare for the season-ending Team Championship in Miami. The teams for Chicago will be unveiled in the coming days.
“Our tournament in Boston showcased a series of firsts in LIV Golf history: A hole-in-one by Matthew Wolff, an electrifying playoff win by Dustin Johnson, and an impressive three-peat by the 4 Aces. After only 12 rounds of golf, LIV Golf has shown that innovations to the sport can breed incredible competition amongst the world’s top golfers,” said Greg Norman, CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf.
“Players are ready for another great test at Rich Harvest Farms, a fantastic course within the legendary sports market of Chicago.”