LIV Golf in plans to expand to 15 teams from 12: Reports

The second season of LIV Golf kickstarted last month in Mexico. Following the end of its inaugural season, the controversial Saudi-backed series introduced a series of changes. LIV Golf League Mayakoba rolled out the change, which included an expanded schedule.

Just weeks after this, reports are now claiming that the series is planning newer changes for its 2024 season. According to a report by Sports Illustrated, LIV Golf is in plans to expand to 15 teams in the coming season. For the unversed, the series currently has 48 players competing in 12 teams of four each.

It is pertinent to note that LIV is putting significant emphasis on growing the team franchises. The Saudi-backed series, which recently landed a TV broadcast deal, is looking to attract lucrative sponsorship deals in its third season.

According to reports, the series is likely to increase the number of teams and also have players in the Asian Tour’s International Series compete via Monday qualifiers.

Currently, 12 teams in the series compete for the team prize on offer. Players get their travel and tournament expenses covered by their respective teams. With the expansion, LIV could change the structure of the tournaments and make it a major team competition unlike the PGA Tour or the European Tour.

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LIV Golf players to face penalty for breaking contract

Apart from the expansion plans, recent reports also reveal that the LIV Golf League has clauses that curtail players from leaving.

According to reports, players breaking their contracts and leaving the series will have to pay two, three, or four times their signing bonus to LIV.

The penalty clause of LIV states that the signed players are bound to honor LIV Golf's schedule and play all 14 events on the circuit. In failing to do so, the players will face action for breaking the agreement. Reports claim that this penalty clause ensures players remain associated with LIV until the contract ends.

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LIV Golf League teams

Here are the 12 teams:

4 Aces GC: Dustin Johnson*, Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Peter Uihlein

Cleeks GC: Martin Kaymer*, Bernd Wiesberger, Richard Bland, Graeme McDowell

Crushers GC: Bryson DeChambeau*, Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III

Fire Balls GC: Sergio Garcia*, Abe Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra

HY Flyers GC: Phil Mickelson*, James Piot, Brendan Steele, Cam Tringale

Iron Heads GC: Kevin Na*, Scott Vincent, Danny Lee, Sihwan Kim

Majesticks GC: Ian Poulter*, Henrik Stenson*, Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield

RangeGoats GC: Bubba Watson*, Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters, Harold Varner III

Ripper GC: Cam Smith*, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan

Smash GC: Brooks Koepka*, Chase Koepka, Matt Wolff, Jason Kokrak

Stinger GC: Louis Oosthuizen*, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel

Torque GC: Joaquin Niemann*, Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig