Robert TheodorsonWith the conclusion of The PGA Championship and the crowning of Aaron Rai as the underdog longshot winner, LIV Golf resumes; first returning to Korea at Asiad Country Club in Busan!
Jon Rahm’s efforts at Aronimink fell just short of reaching what would have been his third career major championship. The two-time league winner made a solid run but eventually settled for a T2 finish at 6-under par, three behind Rai.
With the season’s second major in the rearview mirror, the LIV field eyes its next competition in Korea before travelling to Andalucia, Spain, precursor to the U.S. Open.
Last season, the Asiad Country Club hosted the first-ever LIV Korea event with Bryson DeChambeau taking home the trophy with an overwhelming 19-under par performance. DeChambeau finished two strokes better than teammate Charles Howell III, the duo’s efforts led the Crushers to a relatively safe and easy victory in which they were nine strokes better than second place Smash (now OKGC).
Now with Korea on the horizon, we take a look at the top five projected performers to determine who has the best chance to come out on top and what team can unseat the Crushers.
Top 5 Projected Performers
(1) Jon Rahm
Rahm’s T2 finish at Aronimink was his best finish at a major championship since his win at the 2023 Masters. Rahm finally overcame the Thursday & Friday lackluster performances and made a great run at what would have been his third major championship.
Unfortunately, for Rahm and everyone else in the field, Aaron Rai was unstoppable on championship Sunday and put too much separation between himself and the Top 5.
While Rai’s play may be an anomaly, Rahm’s is not, and the Legion XIII captain figures to be the top dog going into Korea and more likely than not, Andalucia (June 4 – 7).
(2) Lucas Herbert
Herbert’s first career win on LIV Golf came behind a masterclass 24-under par performance which left the rest of the field in the dust. Herbert’s breakthrough win came with an exemption to the 2026 U.S. Open so the Aussie’s confidence has to be through the roof at this point.
This is the second season in a row Herbert has been on point as one of LIV’s best and most reliable golfers. Though he only just secured his first-ever victory on LIV Golf, the 30-year-old will likely figure to remain in the conversation for every remaining tournament he participates in.
(3) Thomas Detry
The model of LIV Golf consistency, Detry hasn’t broken through for the big win yet, but it feels like it’s only a matter of time.
Despite missing the cut at The PGA Championship, Detry figures to be a sure thing for a Top 10 finish at the very least. Detry’s LIV trajectory figures to mirror Lucas Herbert who just recently broke through at Virginia.
Originally number 2 on our list, Detry drops a spot due to a rather poor performance at the DP World Tour’s Soudal Open, a tournament held in his native Belgium.
(4) Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau is having a Jekyll and Hyde season on LIV Golf and the major championship circuit.
Whilst playing in the league, Bryson is the clear-cut second-best player LIV has to offer, which is also reflected in the season-long individual standings. His record shows that he feels comfortable amongst the field and gives his all when surrounded by his teammates, which has not changed since the team’s modern inception as The Crushers.
Unfortunately, Augusta and Aronimink were complete disasters for LIV’s most popular man who also seems to be pondering his future (publicly) than any of his colleagues.
DeChambeau’s drop in the rankings is due purely to the fact that we don’t know where the two-time major champion’s head is currently at. If DeChambeau takes the rest of this season one tournament at a time and just lets the future figure itself out, he’ll be back up there with Rahm in performance and standings.
(5) Cam Smith
If you watched The PGA Championship a few weeks ago, you got a glimpse at the old Cam Smith. Whether or not that momentum is sustainable is a question that can only be answered on the field.
Believe it or not, Smith finished T7 last season in Korea despite another so-so 2025 campaign. Smith’s previous finish in Korea paired with his current form from his showing at Aronimink has me believing that this may be his best opportunity for a win in years!
Top Projected Team
Ripper
The Herbert win at Virginia and the Cam Smith resurgence at Aronimink is turning me into a Ripper believer once again.
The 4 Aces proved at Virginia that teams can lose their dominant streak, then recover it in unusual fashion to pick up dominant and unlikely wins. For Ripper, Korea can be what Virginia was for Dustin Johnson’s 4 Aces.
Perhaps in the league’s last season, three teams: The 4 Aces, Ripper, and Legion XIII are establishing themselves as the most dominant forces as golfers Rahm and DeChambeau have done in the individual standings.
We also note that there’s far less parity in team play than years past where teams like Korean, RangeGoats, Majesticks, OKGC, Cleeks, and the HyFlyers just frankly don’t have a chance.
Around the League: What You Need to Know Before Korea
- Cam Smith’s T7 finish was his first Top 10 at a major championship since The 2024 Masters. 2022/2023 were Smith dominant years and while he still showed flashes in 2024, there has been a serious decline in his play over the past several seasons. Smith’s last win on LIV was at Bedminster, which has been re-added to the schedule for 2026.
- LIV Golfers Peter Uhlein (RangeGoats), Graeme McDowell (OKGC), and Caleb Surratt (Legion XIII) all qualified for the 2026 U.S. Open through a US-based qualifier. McDowell won the U.S. Open in 2010 when the tournament was held at Pebble Beach. Shinnecock will serve as Surratt’s first taste of the majors.
- Abraham Ancer finished T5 3-under par in the Kolon Korea Open last weekend. Ancer was the only notable golfer from LIV to finish the tournament under par. The qualifying series sends the winning participant to the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale (July 16 – 19).
- Victor Perez finished T2 16-under par in the Soudal Open last weekend. Perez finished two shots behind 44-year-old South African Richard Sterne.
