Sam Horsfield may see his personal LIV Golf teammates battling one another towards relegation this month.
There are two regular-season occasions left for every member of the Majesticks to keep away from ending forty ninth or decrease within the LIV standings, which might imply they’re dumped from the league.
Whereas the younger Englishman has respiration room in thirty seventh place forward of this week’s Chicago occasion, Ian Poulter sits 51st, and Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson are peering perilously over the cliff edge in forty sixth and forty seventh.
“We’ve got acquired alongside nice these previous three years. I’m certain that, no matter occurs, we’ll all nonetheless be actually, actually shut. We’ll simply have to attend and see the way it transpires over the following couple of weeks,” Horsfield advised NCG.
“I need the boys to play properly, and I wish to play properly. The primary focus is attempting to get out of this gap that we’re in with the workforce being twelfth, that’s simply not adequate, merely. So get out of that gap and see if we will make any floor in Indianapolis.”
Earlier this week, James Corrigan of the Each day Telegraph reported that gamers might be relegated this season even when they’re a captain. It is a vital tweak to LIV’s guidelines and addresses Bubba-gate of 2024.
RangeGoats captain Bubba Watson completed 53rd and deep into the drop zone final season, however was capable of current ‘a enterprise case’ to the league and maintain his spot. Branden Grace was additionally supplied a reprieve by Stinger in comparable circumstances.
“So far as I’ve been advised, and regardless of when you’re a captain or not, you’re gone, which I like,” Horsfield mentioned.
“That’s positively the best factor to do. I do know that there’s been some stuff lately – however so far as the gamers, we’ve been advised when you end under 48, you’re gone.”
ALSO: Which LIV golfers can play within the majors in 2026?
ALSO: What’s LIV Golf and the way do I watch it?
Sam Horsfield: ‘We have to get our sh*t collectively’
This provides a layer of intrigue to the tip of the LIV Golf season because it may go away any of the Majesticks co-captains Poulter, Westwood and Stenson out within the chilly, having additionally resigned their DP World Tour memberships after lengthy careers and establishing themselves as European legends.
They might play in occasions on the formerly-named European Tour in future in the event that they pay the astronomical fines they got for competing in LIV.
The DP World Tour earned the best to subject monetary sanctions on those that defected to play in conflicting LIV occasions after a listening to in London.
There’s professional jeopardy with regards to LIV’s relegation system in 2025, and it coincides with the circuit’s reapplication for Official World Golf Rating factors. As soon as rejected by the OWGR board in 2023, the league has determined to strive once more.
Requested concerning the prospect of taking part in with new teammates subsequent season in case any of Poulter, Westwood or Stenson are relegated, Horsfield revealed that the Majesticks may look to recruit new expertise.
“James Dunkley, who manages our workforce, is at all times searching for younger and up-and-coming English golfers and we’ve had a number of conversations about what I want to see, or what adjustments I want to be made, if any,” he mentioned.
“Who is aware of? These guys would possibly exit and end first, second, and third this week, and it’s utterly totally different. It’s going to be an fascinating couple of weeks.
“I do know that each one of us wish to play properly, and we wish to give ourselves the perfect likelihood for subsequent 12 months and see what comes about that.”
Horsfield, a three-time DP World Tour winner who left to hitch the Saudi-funded league in 2022, additionally isn’t sure the place he will probably be taking part in his golf subsequent 12 months.
He’s set to complete within the vary between twenty fifth and forty eighth within the LIV standings, which suggests you might be traded or launched by your workforce. Circumstances are totally different from participant to participant based mostly on their contract conditions, which aren’t made readily public. Horsfield’s deal is up on the finish of this season, and it’s believed that his Majesticks teammates are too.
“I actually don’t know, to be sincere with you,” Horsfield mentioned when requested if he anticipates staying put with the workforce in 2026.
“That’s as much as the Majesticks. We’ve had some conversations about it, however you don’t know what’s going to occur till the tip of the 12 months.”
Whereas relegation is an actual menace to a few of the largest names, there may be additionally an opportunity the Majesticks may miss out on competing within the match play portion of the season-ending Group Championship, being performed at The Membership at Chatham Hills in Detroit, Michigan.
Following a format change for 2025, the groups positioned twelfth and thirteenth within the workforce desk after LIV’s Indianapolis occasion subsequent week will face off on Wednesday, August 20, for the possibility to progress to the principle competitors, which begins on August 22.
“Because it stands, we’d be taking part in the Iron Heads in a match on Wednesday to see who advances to the Friday,” Horsfield added.
“We have to, for lack of a greater time period, get our sh*t collectively and never have that occur. I believe I performed decently right here final 12 months. I appear to recollect Ian performed properly right here as properly. Hopefully, we will lean into that and get us out of that twelfth or thirteenth spot.”
NOW READ: How does the LIV Golf Group Championship work?
NOW READ: Present me the cash! How a lot has every LIV participant made since signing up?
NOW READ: How a lot has every LIV golfer made in comparison with their PGA Tour earnings?
What do you make of the LIV Golf relegation guidelines? Inform us on X!
The put up Are Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood about to get relegated from LIV Golf? appeared first on Nationwide Membership Golfer.
