Fantasy Preview and Picks for LIV Golf Indianapolis
There are plenty of storylines heading into LIV Golf Indianapolis, but the headline is the same as this time last year: Joaquin Niemann vs. Jon Rahm for the Individual Championship.
Just like in last year's regular-season finale in Chicago, the Individual Championship and the $18 million bonus is a two-horse race between Niemann and Rahm. How they got there couldn't be any different; Niemann's five LIV Golf victories (most recently in Virginia) earned him 200 of his 208.43 points. In contrast, Rahm has finished T11 or better in each LIV Golf tournament this season (including three second-place finishes), but he has yet to win individually this season (though his Legion XIII squad is locked as the top seed in the team standings thanks to four wins). Rahm came agonizingly close to supplanting Niemann at the top of the individual standings in Chicago, but the Legion XIII captain settled for a share of second with Josele Ballester after losing to Dean Burmester on the first playoff hole. That leaves the magic number at 12.27; that's how many points separate Niemann and Rahm heading into Indianapolis.
Seeing as LIV Golf Indianapolis is the final tournament of the regular season, it represents the final opportunity for players to move up the individual standings. Most of the attention will be focused on Rahm and Niemann, but there are other storylines to monitor. Whoever finishes third in the individual standings collects a $4 million bonus, and that spot is comfortably occupied by Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau with 140.74 points. There are three other players who can mathematically finish third in the standings, each of whom have won a tournament this season; Burmester (117.25 points - Chicago), Talor Gooch (112.70 points - Andalucia) and Patrick Reed (101.90 points - Dallas).
Those who finish in the Lock Zone (top-24 of the individual standings) are guaranteed their spot in the LIV Golf league in 2026. Charles Howell III (54.03 points) currently occupies 24th, but there are several notable players that are well within striking distance, including Tyrrell Hatton (52.15 points), Richard Bland (51.03 points) and captains Dustin Johnson (48.90 points), Louis Oosthuizen (45.13 points) and Brooks Koepka (45.13 points).
For others, getting out of the Lock Zone is going to be the focus of this weekend, as those who finish 49th or below are relegated from the league and can earn their way back through the LIV Golf Qualifying tournament. As it currently stands, each of the three Majesticks co-captains are in danger of relegation, with Ian Poulter (4.50 points) floundering in the Drop Zone, while Lee Westwood (7.20 points) and Henrik Stenson (5.52 points) sit at the cusp at 47th and 48th, respectively. It should be noted that finishing in the Lock Zone doesn't necessarily mean that a player won't be back; Bubba Watson and Branden Grace were both relegated in 2024 but were retained by their teams and are enjoying bounceback seasons.
This weekend is also the final chance for teams to improve their seeding ahead of the Team Championship in Michigan next weekend. Seeding is incredibly important this year; as a refresher, after the 12th and 13th seeds square off Thursday (currently occupied by Majesticks GC and Iron Heads GC), the captains of the top-6 teams will choose a squad in the bottom-6 to play against Friday. Legion XIII (224.66 points) are locked in as the top seed while Crushers GC (178 points) and Fireballs GC (169 points) are neck-and-neck for the second seed. Stinger GC -- thanks to their victory in Chicago -- currently sit seventh and just 2.50 points behind the All-Australian Ripper GC.
All of the action will take place at The Club at Chatham Hills this weekend, which will host a LIV Golf tournament for the first time. The course was designed by Pete Dye, who has designed over 200 courses in the United States, most noticeably TPC Sawgrass and Whistling Straits. All of his courses present unique challenges, and players will need to think strategically with their shots and demonstrate sound course management if they wish to succeed at Chatham Hills. Water plays on most holes, including the par-4 fifth both off the tee and on approach to the green. Those who can get themselves out of a bad situation to save par should do well on this course (think of players like DeChambeau, Rahm and Cameron Tringale).
With so much on the line, here are my final picks of the season for LIV Golf Indianapolis.
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INDIVIDUALS
GROUP 1
Jon Rahm - Legion XIII
Can Rahm pull off the heist for a second year in a row? The reigning Individual Champion doesn't have a win to his name this season after winning two tournaments in his debut year (LIV Golf UK and Chicago), but the Spaniard's consistency has kept him near or at the top of the standings all season long. Rahm sealed things up with a victory in Chicago last year, and a win in Indianapolis would almost certainly lead to the same result in the individual race (unless Niemann finishes solo second). Rahm leads the league in GIR, ranks second in birdies made, fifth in scrambling opportunities and seventh in driving distance.
Joaquin Niemann - Torque GC
Just like last year, Niemann had a chance to wrap things up with a victory in Chicago, but he got off to a disastrous start with a 3-over 74 opening round. He recovered over the final two days to grab some points with a T17 finish, but his room for error heading into Indianapolis is much smaller than he could have hoped. Niemann's ability to turn up the heat on Championship Sunday is the reason why he's won seven LIV Golf tournaments (including five this season), but he'll need to put together an elite three-round performance to hold off Rahm and capture the Individual Championship. Niemann leads the league in both driving distance and birdies made while also ranking second in GIR and 14th in scrambling opportunities.
Bryson DeChambeau - Crushers GC
DeChambeau found himself in contention for a second LIV Golf trophy after going 6-under through the first two rounds in Chicago, but he had to settle for a T13 finish after carding a 3-over 74 on Championship Sunday. It was a disappointing end to Chicago for the Crushers captain, who can no longer catch up to Niemann or Rahm. However, DeChambeau has a firm grasp on third, and a strong outing in Indianapolis would almost guarantee that he ends the season with a cool $4 million bonus. The two-time U.S. Open champion leads the league in scrambling opportunities, top-3 in birdies made and driving distance and top-15 in putts per hole, GIR and driving accuracy.
Honorable Mention: Talor Gooch (Smash GC - has finished top-10 in five of the last six LIV Golf tournaments (including his win in Andalucia) and ranks sixth in scrambling, seventh in driving accuracy and 11th in GIR).
GROUP 2
Paul Casey - Crushers GC
For the second tournament in a row, Casey was right at the top of the leaderboard on Championship Sunday and in contention for his first LIV Golf win. He had to settle for a T5 finish after going 2-under in the final round, but Casey has finished T11 or better in three of the last four LIV Golf tournaments and has plenty of momentum behind him heading into Indianapolis. He's fifth in both GIR and driving distance and 12th in scrambling opportunities.
Dean Burmester - Stinger GC
Burmester's two-stroke lead quickly evaporated after he bogeyed the first three holes of the final round, but the South African steadied himself to finish even par before beating out Rahm and Ballester with a clutch birdie on the first playoff hole. Burmester has accrued 55 points over the last two LIV Golf tournaments, which has him fourth in the individual standings and within striking distance of DeChambeau for third.
Honorable mentions: Charl Schwartzel (Stinger GC - he's been out of the points in four of the last six LIV Golf tournaments, but he helped seal Stinger's win in Chicago over Torque and ranks first and third in putts per hole and scrambling opportunities, respectively), Bubba Watson (Captain, RangeGoats GC - carried his momentum from LIV Golf UK into a T17 finish in Chicago after a four-under final round, ranks in the top-15 in driving distance and accuracy, GIR and birdies made)
GROUP 3
Harold Varner III - 4Aces GC
Varner III started out slowly in Chicago with a 1-over opening round, but he turned things around on Championship Sunday with a 6-under 65, the best round of the day, to finish in the top-5 for the second time in the last four LIV Golf tournaments. Varner and Sebastian Munoz have been the most consistent performers alongside Rahm, with Varner accruing points in 11 of 13 LIV tournaments this season. Varner is fourth in the league in GIR and top-20 in driving accuracy, driving distance and birdies.
Richard Bland - Cleeks GC
Bland captured his third top-10 finish of the season in Chicago, but it could have been even better for the two-time Senior major winner had he not bogeyed two of the last three holes in the final round. The 52-year-old Englishman sits 26th in the individual season standings, and he'll be more motivated than ever to surge into the Lock Zone to secure at least one more season in the LIV Golf league. Bland is T8 in putts per hole, 10th in scrambling opportunities and T12 in driving accuracy this season.
Honorable mentions: Caleb Surratt (Legion XIII - finished T29 in Chicago but finished strong with a five-under 66 final round, ranks T1 in putts per hole, T3 in birdies made and eighth in driving distance), Branden Grace (Stinger GC - the South African has earned points in each of the last five LIV Golf tournaments after earning just 0.6 points through the first six, and he has finished top-5 in two of the last three events).
GROUP 4
Josele Ballester - Fireballs GC
Ballester feels like a steal here in Group 4, and the Fireballs' mid-season signing of the 21-year-old has paid off handsomely. Ballester was able to shoulder the pressure on Championship Sunday to join Rahm and Burmester for the playoff, and he came agonizingly close to forcing a second playoff hole after a tremendous approach shot to the green. Despite playing in just five LIV Golf tournaments this year, Ballester sits 33rd in the individual standings with 39.28 points, all of which have come over the last three events.
Anthony Kim - Wild Card
I encourage you to look past the T44 finish when it comes to at least considering Kim as a Group 3/4 substitute. He went 8-under through the final two rounds in Chicago, which was tied with Varner III for second-best over that span behind Ortiz (nine-under). Kim is in the Drop Zone, and Indianapolis is his final chance at earning points to climb out of relegation.
Honorable mentions: Peter Uihlein (RangeGoats GC - used a four-under 67 to climb to his second top-10 finish of the year), Mito Pereira (Torque GC - went four-under over his final five holes in Chicago to grab a T13 finish and his first points of the season).
TEAMS
Stinger GC (Louis Oosthuizen, Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace)
After floundering in the bottom half of the standings for much of the season, the All-South African squad now sit on the cusp of the top-6 thanks to their win in Chicago and podium finish in the United Kingdom. Stinger GC ranks T2 in putts per hole, third in scrambling opportunities and fifth in driving accuracy).
4Aces GC (Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Harold Varner III, Thomas Pieters)
Though they don't have a win to their name this season, 4Aces GC has six podium finishes, four of which have come over the last five LIV Golf tournaments. They snuck into the top-3 in Chicago thanks to their 11-under finish in the final round, the second best score of the day behind Torque GC (12-under). The 4Aces rank second in GIR and top-5 in scrambling opportunities and birdies made.
Honorable mentions: Crushers GC (lead the league in scrambling opportunities and top-3 in driving accuracy, GIR and birdies made), Torque GC (forced a playoff in Chicago after a 12-under final round and will have all the motivation in the world to finish strongly in Indianapolis between Niemann's race to the Individual Championship and Pereira's push to escape relegation).
PLAY LIV GOLF FANTASY NOW: Now that you read what the experts have to say, it is time to submit your own picks.
