Where the 13 players axed by LIV Golf are now as PGA Tour rebels rake in millions

It’s not all been sunshine, roses, and big cheques for players who joined the LIV Golf Tour.

LIV Golf has undoubtedly changed the face of the professional game but for some rebel players, defection has proved as brief as it has lucrative. The majority of those who opted to jump ship from the PGA Tour are now raking in colossal sums, with Jon Rahm topping the 2024 standings having made almost £13million in tournament winnings alone.

That sum is increased to £26.5m following his payout for topping the standings, with Joaquin Niemann raking in £21.8m for finishing second and Tyrrel Hatton £12.25m for coming third. Even Anthony Kim, who finished bottom of the list of the 54 full-time LIV players, warned himself more than £709,000.

Luckily for Kim, he’s exempt from relegation given his wildcard status, with Kieran Vincent, Bubba Watson, Branden Grace, Scott Vincent and Kalle Samooja the men in the frame to be axed before 2025. The five will be given a chance to win their LIV spot back via the promotions tournament, but otherwise will have to settle for the consolation of an Asian Tour card next year.

Express Sport looks at what happened to those who have already been released by the Saudi-backed tour since jumping ship, including nine players who only lasted the inaugural event at the Centurion Club in June 2022….

Oliver Bekker

The South African made £611,000 for finishing tied-sixth at Centurion, but that wasn’t enough to earn him a permanent LIV place and he promptly returned to the DP World Tour. His only win since came on a Challenger Tour event, the 2023 Dimension Data Pro-AM, and has not been seen in any major championships.

Ratchanon Chantananuwat

Burst onto the scene in April 2022 when at 15, he captured the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup to become the youngest every winner of an OWGR event. That earned him an invite to LIV’s opening act, but after finishing tied-38th, there’s been little word on him since and he remains an amateur player.

Oliver Fisher

Finishing on the same score as the teenager was Englishman Oliver Fisher, who promptly returned to the status quo only to miss the cut at the BMW International Open. Since then, the 36-year-old has spent the bulk of his time on the Challenge Tour.

Pablo Larrazabal

Having appeared committed to the DP World Tour, was a surprise entrant at Centurion and ended up tied-13th to earn £275,000. Soon after he was back in Europe and finished fifth at the BMW event, and later captured the Korea Championship and KLM Open in 2023.

Did play in three major championships last year, but tied-65th at the PGA Championship represented his best effort. At 41, now appears a fading force.