The LIV Golf League heads from the UK to West Virginia for LIV Golf Greenbrier. Jon Rahm leads the markets this week, with the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrell Hatton also near the top of the betting boards.
2024 LIV Golf League
LIV Golf Greenbrier
The Old White at the Greenbrier
16 – 18 August
LIV Golf is back in action this week, returning to the site that immortalised Bryson DeChambeau in LIV folklore. DeChambeau became just the fourth man to shoot a 58 in tournament golf at last year’s inaugural LIV Golf Greenbrier event.
It was a viral moment for the ages that should have catapulted the LIV Golf Series into the mainstream. I feel like the entire LIV enterprise has felt a little stagnant this season. In any event, this will be the second edition of the LIV Golf Greenbrier and the penultimate event in this year’s regular tour season.
There are plenty of permutations this week, with six players still in with a shout of winning the individual prize. Points leader Joaquin Niemann can win the individual prize if he wins this week and Rahm finishes no better than third (Rahm is the only man who has finished inside the top 10 in every individual event he has played this season).
There will also be battles within battles in the upcoming weeks, as players aim to guarantee their spots on next year’s tour by finishing inside the top 24 (the so-called Lock Zone).
The Old White at the Greenbrier
The Old White at the Greenbrier was the host of the now-defunct Greenbrier Classic between 2010 and 2019 (known as A Military Tribute at the Greenbrier for its final two renewals).
Designed by famed designer Charles Blair Macdonald, the Old White opened all the way back in 1914. Many of the holes are directly inspired by European juggernauts such as St Andrews and Prestwick.
A par-70 that measures 7,299 yards, the Old White features tree-lined fairways and large, well-protected greens. Many of the current LIV Tour members have played the Old White. There are now four winners in the current field: Na, Lee, Niemann and DeChambeau. So, Danny Lee and Kevin Na prove that you don’t have to hit it miles to prosper around here.
Accurate players with precise iron play will score well in these conditions. DeChambeau’s rip-roaring victory obviously showed the other side of the spectrum.
This is obviously an extremely gettable layout, with DeChambeau’s final-round 58 propelling him to an extraordinary 23-under-par winning score last year. Also, players will need to hole their fair share of putts to compete this week.
The Contenders
As I noted earlier, Niemann will give himself a very good chance of clinching the individual title with victory this week. I do worry about Jon Rahm’s headspace this week.
This will be his first outing since a horrific back-nine meltdown at the Paris Olympics. Rahm has always been a player for the big occasion, but he has strangely struggled in pressure moments this season. That being said, he did win his first LIV title at JCB last time out.
Tyrell Hatton and Sergio Garcia have both won recently on LIV and can still secure the individual title if things go their way.
Louis Oosthuizen and Cameron Smith are distant longshots and need outrageous scenarios to unfold if they wish to claim the individual title.
Past Winner
2023: Bryson DeChambeau (-23)
To Win Outright:
Jon Rahm 11/2 | Bryson DeChambeau 15/2 | Tyrell Hatton 8/1 | Joaquin Niemann 9/1 | Cameron Smith 12/1
Value Bet
Paul Casey – To Win 22/1 | To Place 48/10
Englishman Paul Casey could be a surprise package this week. One of the purest ball-strikers of his era, Casey’s form seems to be trending in the right direction.
He actually started the season really well, picking up a T5 in Vegas and a T2 in Hong Kong. He went into a bit of a slump in the middle of the season but has rediscovered his touch in recent weeks, finishing in the top 10 in three of his last four events.
He was 5th at JCB and I think he could be one to watch in the place markets.
The Man to Beat – Tyrell Hatton – To Win 8/1 | To Place 7/4
Tyrell Hatton came within a whisker of capturing his second LIV title of the season at JCB, three-putting on the par-4 18th to drop out of the co-lead he shared with eventual champ Jon Rahm.
The LIV Nashville champion is the only player to get points in every LIV event of the season (Rahm never played in Houston due to injury). The consistent Englishman seems to be peaking at the right time, finishing third or better in each of his last three events.
He currently ranks second for putts per hole this season and one would think that strong putting will be crucial on this birdie-fest.
