The LIV Golf League gets its 2023 season underway this week with the Invitational at Mayakoba. Contested on the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon Golf Course, LIV Golf’s sophomore season will once again feature team play format, where players compete in a traditional stroke-play format, while simultaneously playing as part of a four-man team for all the glory… and cash prizes. (Over the first two rounds, the best two stroke play scores will count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores will count. The lowest overall team score after 54 holes is the team winner.)
In the inaugural LIV Golf season, Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces absolutely dominated the competition en route to winning the inaugural Team Championship. The 2023 lineup, though, will be without the league’s best C player, Talor Gooch, who was sent to Bubba Watson’s RangeGoats GC. Replacing the Oklahoma native will be Peter Uihlein, who overperformed in 2022 but is not quite the talent of Gooch.
With that, here are the power rankings for the team competition at LIV Golf Invitational Mayakoba.
12. Iron Heads GC
Captain Kevin Na and Sihwan Kim return from last year’s lineup. They will be joined by one-time PGA Tour winner Danny Lee, who will make his LIV Golf debut, and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent.
Team: Kevin Na (C), Sihwan Kim, Danny Lee, Scott Vincent
11. Cleeks GC
Martin Kaymer captains an all-European team which includes fellow U.S. Open winner Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, Englishman Richard Bland and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, a member of the 2021 European Ryder Cup team.
Team: Martin Kaymer (C), Bernd Wiesberger, Graeme McDowell, Richard Bland
10. Hy Flyers GC
Captained by Phil Mickelson, the Flyers retained Cameron Tringale but lost two studs in Matthew Wolff and Bernd Wiesberger. They will be replaced by former amateur star James Piot and PGA Tour veteran Brendan Steele, who will make his LIV Golf debut.
Team: Phil Mickelson (C), James Piot, Brendan Steele, Cameron Tringale
09. Torque GC
Captain Joaquin Niemann heads an all-Latin team, adding two of his closest friends in fellow Chilean Mito Pereira, who stars in Netflix’s Full Swing documentary, and Colombian Sebastian Munoz. Spanish youngster David Puig rounds out the squad. Munoz and Pereira, who were members of the 2022 Presidents Cup International Team, will make their LIV Golf debuts and should provide a spark as the league’s youngest squad.
Team: Joaquin Niemann (C), Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig
08. Smash GC
Captained by four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, the team includes the big-hitting Jason Kokrak and former HyFlyer Matthew Wolff. Both Kokrak and Wolff finished in the top five in driving distance in 2022. Chase Koepka, Brooks’ younger brother, rounds out the all-American team.
Team: Brooks Koepka (C), Jason Kokrak, Matthew Wolff, Chase Koepka
06. Majesticks GC
The high-profile Majesticks GC are co-captained by three of Europe’s most familiar Ryder Cup veterans: Sweden’s Henrik Stenson and Englishmen Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter. A third Brit, Sam Horsfield, rounds out the foursome.
Team: Lee Westwood (C), Henrik Stenson (C), Ian Poulter (C), Sam Horsfield
05. Crushers GC
Captained by Bryson DeChambeau, the Crushers GC were upgraded big time late last season with the additions of Indian star Anirban Lahiri, Paul Casey, a former world No. 3, and PGA Tour veteran Charles Howell III.
Team: Bryson DeChambeau (C), Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri
04. Fireballs GC
The all-Spanish speaking team, captained by 2017 Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend Sergio Garcia, remains intact. Joining Garcia on Team Fireballs is Spanish compatriot Eugenio Chacarra, who claimed his first pro title last season at the Bangkok stop. Mexican stars Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz round out the talented team.
Team: Sergio Garcia (C), Carlos Ortiz, Abraham Ancer, Eugenio Chacarra
03. Stinger GC
The all-South African team captained by Louis Oosthuizen was one of the most successful last season, winning by 14 strokes in London and finishing second in Portland. Stinger GC players also won each of the first two individual trophies with Charl Schwartzel (London) and Branden Grace (Portland). Dean Burmester, a nine-time pro tour winner, joins the team in 2023.
Team: Louis Oosthuizen (C), Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester
3. RangeGoats GC
Bubba Watson captains a revamped Niblicks team, including a new name: RangeGoats GC. The two-time Masters champ retains fan fav Harold Varner III while bringing in two top-tier names in Talor Gooch and Thomas Pieters.
Team: Bubba Watson (C), Harold Varner III, Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters
02. Ripper GC
The all-Australian team, with a new name (formerly Punch GC) is captained by Cameron Smith, the reigning Open Champion, and Marc Leishman as its B player. The duo will be joined by PGA Tour winner Matt Jones and young up-and-comer Jed Morgan, a former Aussie amateur star.
Team: Cameron Smith (C), Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan
01. 4 Aces GC
The all-American team of Dustin Johnson (C), Patrick Reed, Peter Uihlein and Pat Perez is clearly the team to beat. Winning last year’s Team Championship and four regular-season events, 4Aces dominated the team competition in LIV Golf’s inaugural Invitational Series. Uihlein is the newcomer to the squad (replacing Talor Gooch who jumped to RangeGoats). 4 Aces now boats three of the top four players from last season’s Individual Champion race in Johnson (1), Uihlein (3), and Reed (4).
Team: Dustin Johnson (C), Patrick Reed, Peter Uihlein, Pat Perez
