While Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann battle for LIV Golf’s season-long individual title this week at LIV Chicago, there is another battle going on at the opposite end of the points list.
Harold Varner III, Pat Perez and Branden Grace are among those fighting to avoid relegation, which will take place Sunday evening after the completion of the 54-hole individual finale at Bolingbrook Golf Club south of Chicago. Players ranked outside the top 48 will be automatically released from their teams after next week’s LIV team championship in Carrollton, Texas, and can only regain their LIV cards via the Promotions event later this year.
Varner and Perez are Nos. 47 and 48, respectively, meaning they are the last two players in the Open Zone, which consists of Nos. 25-48. Players who finish in this zone can be released into the free-agent pool or traded by their teams. Phil Mickelson is No. 44 and Ian Poulter is No. 46, though since both are team captains, they are exempt from relegation. Also exempt from losing their status are wild cards, like Anthony Kim.
The most high-profile name outside the top 48, otherwise known as the Drop Zone, is Branden Grace, who is No. 50. Bubba Watson is No. 52, but he, too, is a team captain.
Here is a look at the standings around the bubble:
43. Mito Pereira, 12
44. Phil Mickelson, 11.93 (captain)
45. Jinichiro Kozuma, 9.6
46. Ian Poulter, 9.22 (captain)
47. Harold Varner III, 8.25
48. Pat Perez, 7.76
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49. Scott Vincent 5.90
50. Branden Grace, 4.42
51. Laurie Canter, 4.3 (reserve)
52. Bubba Watson 3.66 (captain)
53. Kalle Samooja, 3.4
54. Kieran Vincent, 2.47
55. Hudson Swafford, 0 (wild card)
55. Anthony Kim, 0 (wild card)
57. Ben Campbell, 0 (reserve)