The race for a golden ticket to the lucrative LIV Golf league has intensified, with two former Ryder Cup stars now among the leading contenders. Chris Wood and Anthony Kim will headline the field at the four-day LIV Golf Promotions event in Florida, where just three wildcard spots are up for grabs for the upcoming season.
Koepka's Departure Creates Crucial Opening
The quest for a place on the Saudi-backed tour gained an unexpected twist with the pre-Christmas departure of major champion Brooks Koepka. His exit, a year before his contract was due to end, has created an additional opening in the 57-player league for the 2026 season. This vacancy adds significant stakes to the qualifying tournament at Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida, which begins on Thursday.
Eighty players from 24 countries will tee off in the high-pressure event. They are competing not only for the three direct invitations to LIV Golf but also for ten spots on the associated Asian Tour International Series. The format is demanding: 61 players will start on day one, with the top 20 advancing to a second round where they will be joined by 19 exempt players. From there, the leading 20 will battle over a 36-hole weekend for a $200,000 first prize and, more importantly, those precious league invites.
Comeback Kings: Kim and Wood Seek Redemption
The field features compelling comeback narratives. American Anthony Kim, once ranked world number six, returned to professional golf in 2024 as a LIV wildcard after a mysterious 12-year absence. Now 40 years old and ranked 864th globally, Kim showed promising form with a tied-20th finish at the PIF Saudi International in November—his first top-20 since returning.
Englishman Chris Wood, a three-time DP World Tour winner and member of the 2016 European Ryder Cup team, is also on a personal redemption arc. After battling severe anxiety that disrupted his career, Wood marked his return to winning ways with a victory on the MENA Tour in Portugal last November, his first since the 2016 BMW PGA Championship.
"LIV Q School is a really difficult format - there are only three places," Wood acknowledged. "The other reason for looking at it is there are ten spots on offer for their International Series... I am completely open-minded about where I am playing, I need golf and I want golf. It’s another opportunity to go and play."
League Expansion Amidst Ranking Point Pursuit
The qualifying event underscores LIV Golf's ongoing efforts to build its field and competitive credibility. The league's CEO, Scott O'Neil, stated: "LIV Golf is committed to moving the sport forward by expanding opportunity and access. We are opening pathways—creating more chances for top talent to compete in the world’s golf league."
This season is pivotal for the breakaway circuit as it seeks official world ranking points for its events. The league will commence its sixth season in Riyadh next month, with tournaments now contested over the traditional 72 holes. Other contenders at the Florida qualifier include former Open championship leader Tom Lewis and Dane Lucas Bjerregaard, all vying for a life-changing opportunity on one of golf's most controversial and well-funded stages.
