The LIV Golf League heads from Nashville to Andalucía for LIV Golf Andalucía.
Bryson DeChambeau leads the markets this week, with the likes of Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm also near the top of the betting boards.
2024 LIV Golf League – LIV Golf Andalucía
Real Club Valderrama – 12 – 14 July
The LIV Tour ended a busy three-week American stretch in style, with Tyrell Hatton winning his maiden LIV title in Nashville. Newly crowned US Open champ Bryson DeChambeau battled exhaustion to somehow finish in a tie for third (he should be in much finer fettle this week).
The LIV Tour moves to Europe this week for the second edition of LIV Andalucia. Valderrama hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup and has long been considered one of the great bastions of European golf.
Perhaps that’s the exact reason why Norman and his cohorts targeted Real Club Valderrama last year. They wanted to show the European golfing establishment that they weren’t some passing fad.
Talor Gooch emerged victorious last year, beating current US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke. This stop will also provide the final opportunity for guys to play themselves into form ahead of next week’s Open Championship.
Real Club Valderrama
Measuring a tick above – or below – 7000 yards (depending on what yardage you believe), Valderrama isn’t the bomber’s paradise that often defines LIV Golf.
It is a classical, tree-lined venue with a quintessentially European feel. Designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, the narrow fairways and tiny greens are tucked away behind gorgeous cork trees.
This is a test that rewards accurate driving as it is virtually impossible to find these greens from the penal rough.
The greens at Valderrama are notoriously small and tricky to negotiate, with sheer runoff areas waiting to gobble up anything remotely wayward.
This means that scrambling skills will be of paramount importance this week (it’s not too dissimilar from Augusta). The real star of the show is the majestic par-5 17th.
It is the prototypical risk-reward hole, enticing the players to take on the lake with their second if they wish to forge an eagle opportunity. The little amphitheatre surrounding the green will no doubt enjoy excellent coverage this week.
The Contenders
US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is now the big-ticket item on this tour, and he will be looking to finetune his game ahead of Royal Troon.
I know many US PGA Tour players will be playing the links at Renaissance this week. But I would argue that Valderrama – with its emphasis on accurate driving and brilliant short-game skills – will be just as beneficial for those tackling Royal Troon.
Sergio Garcia has won on this course before, but he will not be teeing it up at Royal Troon, failing to get through in Open qualifying. This may leave him with a bit of a point to prove this week.
Jon Rahm has finished in the top 10 in every LIV event in which he has played this season and he will no doubt receive some boisterous home support this week.
Individual points leader Joaquin Niemann will be looking to solidify his position while Tyrell Hatton aims to sharpen his short-game skills ahead of Royal Troon.
Past Winner 2023: Talor Gooch (-12)
To Win Outright:
- Bryson DeChambeau 13/2
- Jon Rahm 7/1
- Tyrell Hatton 9/1
- Joaquin Niemann 10/1 | Sergio Garcia 12/1
Value Bet: Sebastian Munoz – To Win 35/1 | To Place 15/2
There’s hope that Sebastian Munoz can build on a season-best T7 finish in Nashville last time out.
The Colombian shot a final-round 66 in Nashville and I think his game could be ideally suited to the challenges of Valderrama.
He enters this event sixth in birdies per round and inside the top 15 for both Driving Accuracy and GIR.
Munoz also seems to have an affinity for the course, finishing with back-to-back 67s to finish in 4th here last season.
The Man to Beat – Sergio Garcia- To Win 12/1 | To Place 26/10
Sergio Garcia failed to qualify for next week’s Open Championship by two strokes, caught on video sparring with R&A officials after he was put on the clock for slow play.
There is hope that he can harness all that disappointment and turn on the style in front of fanatical home support.
He has a magnificent record at Valderrama, winning three times on this golf course.
He hinted at a surprise title push at Pinehurst No.2, ultimately settling for a tie for 12th. He has twice finished runner-up this season and this just feels like it could be his week.
