This article is part of our DFS Golf series.
LIV Golf Chicago
Purse: $20M individual, $5 million team
Winner's share: $4M individual, $3M team
Location: Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA
Course: Bolingbrook Golf Club
Yardage: 7,131
Par: 70
For more information, check out RotoWire's LIV Golf Optimizer.
Tournament Preview
The third season of the LIV Golf league will wind down over the next two weeks, but not before the Individual and Team Champions are crowned.
After 12 tournaments spanning across four continents, the Individual Season Championship comes down to two men: Legion XIII captain and LIV Golf debutant Jon Rahm and Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann.
- Jon Rahm (Captain, Legion XIII) - 195.17 points (Previous: 2)
- Joaquin Niemann (Captain, Torque GC) - 192.20 points (1)
Niemann got off to a strong start with a playoff win over Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia in Mayakoba, and the Torque GC captain grabbed firm control at the top of the individual season standings with a victory two tournaments later in Jeddah. Over the next nine tournaments, Niemann finished in the top-10 seven times, including four top-five finishes. However, his place at the top of the individual standings was usurped by Rahm following LIV Golf Greenbrier.
Rahm has been the model of consistency in his first year in the LIV Golf league. Not only has the Spaniard accrued points in every tournament he has finished (he was forced to withdraw in the second round of LIV Golf Houston due to a left toe infection), he has finished in the top-10 in each of those outings. He followed up his T7 finish at The Open with his first league trophy at LIV Golf UK, beating Niemann, Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith and Legion XIII teammate Tyrrell Hatton by one stroke. Rahm lost on the first playoff hole to Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka in Greenbrier, but it was enough points for the Legion XIII captain to take pole position at the top of the standings.
Rahm and Niemann are locked into the top-two of the individual standings, but whoever finishes third also gets a hefty bonus. Hatton is in current possession of that final podium spot, but he has four team captains and previous major winners on his heels:
3. Tyrrell Hatton (Legion XIII) - 143.49 points (3)
4. Sergio Garcia (Captain, Fireballs GC) - 135.49 points (4)
5. Louis Oosthuizen (Captain, Stingers GC) - 129.10 points (5)
6. Cameron Smith (Captain, Ripper GC) - 127.66 points (6)
7. Brooks Koepka (Captain, Smash GC) - 126.73 points (10)
Hatton would be guaranteed to hold his spot in the standings if he were to finish in the top three in Chicago, unless Garcia were to win and capture his second LIV Golf trophy of the season.
The top-24 players in the individual standings following the conclusion of LIV Golf Chicago will finish in the Lock Zone, and they are guaranteed a spot in the league for 2025. The top-15 of the standings are currently guaranteed to finish in the lock zone, with Cleeks GC's Adrian Meronk close behind at 16th with 67.24 points. Strong performances in Greenbrier by Jason Kokrak (third) and Sebastian Munoz (sixth) lifted the duo into the Lock Zone. Graeme McDowell and Sam Horsfield, meanwhile, dropped out of the top-24 after missing the last tournament due to a suspension and foot injury, respectively.
20. Patrick Reed (4Aces GC) - 55.60 points
21. Charl Schwartzel (Stinger GC) - 54.33 points
22. Jason Kokrak (Smash GC) - 52.58 points
23. Sebastian Munoz (Torque GC) - 48.31 points
24. Brendan Steele (HyFlyers GC) - 48.10 points
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25. David Puig (Fireballs GC) - 38.58 points
26. Cameron Tringale (HyFlyers GC) - 36.75 points
27. Graeme McDowell (Smash GC) - 35.75 points
28. Lucas Herbert (Ripper GC) - 35.35 points
29. Peter Uihlein (RangeGoats GC) - 35.30 points
30. Sam Horsfield (Majesticks GC) - 35.03 points
Every player ranked 25 to 47 in the standings has a mathematical chance at jumping into the Lock Zone, with a victory in Chicago earning them 40 points (Steele's triumph in Adelaide is the big reason why he sits 24th in the individual season standings).
Finally, those who sit below 48th in the individual standings after Chicago will fall into the Drop Zone. These players (other than team captains) will be relegated out of the LIV Golf league for 2025, and must earn their way back through the Promotions event later this year.
47. Harold Varner III (4Aces GC) - 8.25 points
48. Pat Perez (4Aces GC) - 7.76 points
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49. Scott Vincent (Iron Heads GC) - 5.90 points
50. Branden Grace (Stinger GC) - 4.42 points
Others facing relegation are Kalle Samooja, Kieran Vincent and Wild Cards Hudson Swafford and Anthony Kim.
Team Standings
- Crushers GC - 175.5 points (Previous: 1)
- Legion XIII - 176 points (2)
- Ripper GC - 151 points (3)
- Smash GC - 131.50 points (7)
- Torque GC - 123 points (4)
- Fireballs GC - 112.83 points (6)
Crushers GC and Legion XIII are guaranteed to finish top-three regardless of what happens in Chicago. Smash GC's victory in Greenbrier propelled them to within striking range of the top-three, which would give them a bye in the first round in the LIV Golf Team Championship in Dallas. Ripper GC and Torque GC join Smash GC as the three teams eligible to claim the final available bye. For a full run down of the season-long races, be sure to check out the rundown from the LIV Golf staff, or Mike McCallister's First Look at LIV Golf Chicago at Bolingbrook.
Champions Profile
Chicago will host LIV Golf for the third consecutive year, but Bolingbrook Golf Course will be the venue for this year's event as opposed to Rich Harvest Farms in seasons past. The sixth hole at Bolingbrook is its signature, a par-3 island green with the only relief coming from the rough behind the putting surface. Holes one and 12 normally play as par-5s, but they'll be shortened to par-4s for the players this weekend. Long hitters will have a chance at reaching the green on the 342-yard, par-4 15th, but balls that miss left will end up finding the water.
Here are my final picks of the LIV Golf regular season as we head into Chicago.
DraftKings Value Picks
Based on a Standard $50k Salary Cap
Tier 1 Values
Jon Rahm (Captain, Legion XIII) - $11,500 (Winning odds at The DraftKings Sportsbook: +450)
Rahm has been the moniker of consistency of the league this season, and he could have had a larger lead over Niemann in the individual season standings heading into LIV Golf Chicago had he not been forced to withdraw from Houston. Finishing higher than Niemann in Chicago would guarantee Rahm the Individual Season Championship, which would somewhat nullify the sting of his disappointing finish at the Summer Olympic Games. Rahm leads the LIV Golf league in both GIR (74.84 percent) and birdies per round (5.24), and he ranks 12th or better in driving accuracy, driving distance, scrambling and putting average.
Joaquin Niemann (Captain, Torque GC) - $10,500 (+850)
Niemann wasn't able to score as low in Greenbrier as Rahm and the others, and the Torque GC captain finished tied for 15th. That knocked Niemann off his spot at the top of the individual season standings, but he can capture the Individual Season Championship if he's able to accrue points in Chicago and finish ahead of Rahm on the leaderboard. Niemann ranks second this season in birdies per round (4.89) and third in both GIR (73.46 percent) and driving distance (319.3 yards).
Brooks Koepka (Captain, Smash GC) - $10,000 (+1600)
Koepka grabbed his fifth LIV Golf trophy after outlasting Rahm on the first playoff hole at Greenbrier. No other player in the league has as many LIV Golf individual trophies as Koepka, and a strong performance in Chicago would put the Smash GC captain in contention for a podium spot in both the individual and team season standings. He ranks seventh this season in GIR (72.07 percent) and 15th in both scrambling (64.09 percent) and driving distance (309.2 yards).
Tier 2 Values
Sergio Garcia (Captain, Fireballs GC) - $9,400 (+2000)
Garcia has the best shot at usurping Hatton from the third spot in the individual season standings after the Fireballs GC captain finished T8 at LIV Golf Greenbrier. A strong outing in Chicago from Garcia and teammates Abraham Ancer, David Puig and Eugenio Chacarra could help elevate Fireballs GC to a higher seed heading into the Team Championship. Garcia ranks second this season in scrambling (70.86 percent), fourth in driving accuracy (67.06 percent) and fifth in GIR (72.99 percent).
Richard Bland (Cleeks GC) - $9,300 (+2200)
Bland continues to play the best golf in the twilight of his career, with the Englishman finishing T4 at the Old White Course. He's not able to hit the ball as far as his younger counterparts in the league, but Bland makes up for that in his accuracy, evidenced by his 73.46 percent GIR (third) and 63.1 percent driving accuracy (10th). Bland is 19th in the individual season standings, so a strong placement in Chicago would solidify his spot in the Lock Zone.
Talor Gooch (Smash GC) - $9,200 (+2200)
Gooch has had a somewhat disappointing season relative to 2023, when he won the Individual Championship thanks to three tournament victories. Chicago represents a good chance for the American to finish the regular season strong and build momentum towards the Team Championship in Dallas. Gooch ranks sixth in the field in driving accuracy (65.28 percent, seventh in scrambling (66.99 percent) and 11th in putts per hole (1.57).
Tier 3 Values
Sebastian Munoz (Torque GC) - $8,700 (+4000)
Munoz has accrued points in each of the last six LIV Golf tournaments, including two top-10 finishes. His T6 in Greenbrier was his best finish of the season, and his performance on the Old White Course propelled him into the Lock Zone at 23rd in the individual standings. Munoz ranks sixth in birdies per round (4.46), ninth in driving accuracy (63.89 percent) and 15th in GIR (70.22 percent).
Cameron Tringale (HyFlyers GC) - $8,100 (+4000)
Tringale has finished T6-T11 over the last two LIV Golf tournaments, and he has quietly risen to 26th in the individual season standings, just two spots behind HyFlyers teammate Brendan Steele. Tringale ranks eighth in birdies per round (4.44) and 15th in both GIR (70.22 percent) and putts per hole (1.58).
Jason Kokrak (Smash GC) - $7,900 (+5000)
It's been an inconsistent season for Kokrak, but he's coming off a podium finish in Greenbrier -- his best outing of the season -- behind Koepka and Rahm. Thanks to his performance in Greenbrier, Kokrak, like Munoz, has risen into the Lock Zone of the individual standings in 22nd. Kokrak enters Chicago ranked ninth in GIR (70.99 percent) and 14th in driving accuracy (60.71 percent).
Tier 4 Values
Peter Uihlein (RangeGoats GC) - $7,300 (+10000)
Uihlein is hovering near the top of the Open Zone with 35.30 points, and he's finished T14-T20 over the last two LIV Golf tournaments. He had a strong finish in Greenbrier, and a top-five finish in Chicago could be enough for him to rise up into the Lock Zone. His accuracy off the tee and onto the green have let him down this year, but he does rank sixth and ninth in putts per hole (1.56) and driving distance (311.8 yards), respectively.
Graeme McDowell (Smash GC) - $6,400
McDowell was suspended for LIV Golf Greenbrier after violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. His absence from the last tournament, coupled with his deducted points from Nashville, knocked him down to 27th in the individual standings with 35.75 points. Perhaps the additional rest will give McDowell enough juice to surge into a top-five finish in Chicago.
Jinichiro Kozuma (Iron Heads GC) - $6,300 (+30000)
Kozuma followed up his T20 finish at LIV Golf Greenbrier with a victory on the Japan Tour's Sansan KBC Augusta in late August, beating Yuwa Kosaihira on the second playoff hole. Kozuma finished LIV Golf Greenbrier tied for the best putting average (1.46 per hole) and eighth in driving accuracy (71.43 percent).
Take a spin through the Sportsbook Promo Codes before wagering on LIV Golf Chicago.
