Fantasy Preview and Picks for LIV Golf Mexico City
The LIV Golf season resumes April 25, three weeks after Miami and two weeks removed from The Masters at Augusta National Park. Marc Leishman used a four-under 68 final round to win at Trump National Doral for his first LIV Golf individual trophy, beating out Charl Schwartzel by one stroke, and Leishman's efforts lifted his All-Australian Ripper GCs to their first team trophy of the year.
A total of 12 golfers, including Schwartzel, represented LIV Golf at The Masters at Augusta National two weeks ago. Crushers GC captain Bryson DeChambeau was in the mix for his first green jacket heading into Championship Sunday before settling for a T5 finish, Patrick Reed used an eagle on the 17th hole in the final round to surge to solo third, and two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, 2023 champion Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton all finished in a share of 14th. Check out Mike McAllister's review of the LIV Golf field at Augusta.
LIV Golf will make its return to Mexico this weekend, albeit in a different venue. The El Camaleón Golf Course in Mayakoba saw Charles Howell III and Joaquin Niemann stand victorious in 2023 and 2024, respectively, but Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City will be the venue for 2025. Chapultepec is no stranger to professional tournaments, hosting the World Golf Championships where all four events were won by players in the field this weekend; Reed in 2020 (with DeChambeau finishing as the runner-up), Phil Mickelson in 2018 and Dustin Johnson in 2017 and 2019.
The course is located approximately 7,800 feet above sea level, making it the highest elevated city to host a LIV Golf event. Some of the greens are driveable, but the players will need to utilize the practice week to get their distance control down pat to avoid any off-line tee shots. McCallister provides a rundown of Chapultepec in his preview of LIV Golf Mexico City.
PLAY LIV GOLF FANTASY NOW: Read what the experts have to say and submit your own picks.
Individuals
Group 1
Jon Rahm - Captain, Legion XIII
Despite a two-over 74 final round, Rahm managed to finish T9 at LIV Golf Miami to preserve his top-10 finish streak. He followed that up with a strong outing at The Masters, where the 2023 Green Jacket winner was able to overcome a slow start to grab a top-15 finish at Augusta National. Rahm leads the field in birdies per hole (5.07) and ranks in the third, T8 and 13th in GIR (73.70 percent), putts per hole (1.59) and scrambling opportunities (63.38 percent), respectively.
Sergio Garcia - Captain, Fireballs GC
Garcia captured his second LIV Golf podium finish in Miami with a solo third, and he joined Leishman as the only two players in the field to score under par in all three rounds at National Doral. Garcia missed the cut at The Masters by two strokes, but the Fireballs GC captain's accuracy and ability to navigate any course should allow him to stay in contention for another strong finish. He's tied with Schwartzel for best in the field in scrambling opportunities (70.83 percent) and Garcia also ranks second in driving accuracy (68.57 percent), fourth in GIR (73.33 percent) and 10th in birdies made (64).
Honorable mentions: Dustin Johnson (Captain, 4Aces GC - missed the cut at Augusta, but winning this course twice gives him an edge over the rest of the field), Bryson DeChambeau (Captain, Crushers GC - coming off consecutive top-5 finishes at LIV Golf Miami and The Masters, leads the league in driving distance (322.6 yards) and T5 and 10th in driving accuracy (64.76 percent) and GIR (74.07 percent), respectively).
Group 2
Patrick Reed - 4Aces GC
Reed had a slow start to the season, but he's come into form over the past month. His runner-up finish at International Series Macau earned him a spot at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush, and he followed that up with a T7 at LIV Golf Miami before finishing solo third at Augusta National, which was the best finish out of the LIV Golf contingent. Reed also has a history at Chapultepec, having won there in 2020.
Harold Varner III - 4Aces GC
Varner is one of six LIV Golf players to earn points in all five tournaments this season, and he has already accrued more points this season (27.70) compared to 2024 (13.75). The 34-year-old American leads the league in GIR (76.67 percent) and ranks T3 and 10th in driving accuracy (65.71 percent) and scrambling (61.90 percent), respectively. Varner would put himself in contention at Chapultepec if he can sort out his putting game (1.66 putts per hole - T43).
Honorable mention: Tyrrell Hatton (Legion XIII - didn't have a great performance in Miami but was in early contention at The Masters before settling for a T14 finish).
Group 3
Bubba Watson - Captain, RangeGoats GC
Watson hasn't finished better than T30 over his last three LIV Golf tournaments after a strong start to the season. However, the crafty lefty gave a vintage performance at The Masters, leading the field in putting and used a four-under 68 final round to surge to a T14 finish, his best performance at Augusta National since 2019 (T12). In five LIV Golf tournaments, Watson ranks 13th, 15th and T19th in driving distance (308.2 yards), driving accuracy (61.43 percent) and birdies made (58), respectively.
Talor Gooch - Smash GC
It's been a peculiar season for the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Champion, who finished T44 or worse in the first three tournaments of the year. He may have turned a corner at National Doral, using a three-under 69 final round to jump to a T12 finish to earn his points of the season. Gooch isn't exactly a long driver, but the altitude should help mitigate that disadvantage. He ranks T9 in driving accuracy (62.86 percent) and T12 in GIR (69.63 percent).
Honorable mention: Cameron Tringale (Hyflers GC - Has also earned points in every LIV Golf tournament this year, ranks top-11 in birdies made, putts per hole, GIR and driving accuracy).
Group 4
Brendan Steele - HyFlyers GC
Steele hasn't been able to capture that same magic this season that propelled him to victory at LIV Golf Adelaide in 2024. He's finished top-24 once this season, but he also ranks in the top-20 in driving accuracy (60.48 percent), GIR (68.89 percent), driving distance (304.3 yards) and scrambling opportunities (60.71 percent).
Henrik Stenson - Co-captain, Majesticks GC
Stenson has earned points in one LIV Golf tournament this season (T12 in Adelaide) and didn't have a great showing in Miami. However, the 2016 Open champion leads the league in driving accuracy (72.38 percent) and T19 in GIR (68.15 percent), and the altitude should cover his below-average driving distance. Like Varner and Gooch, Stenson would give himself a shot of winning his first LIV Golf tournament if he were to figure out his putting game.
Honorable mention: Branden Grace (Stingers GC - ranks T20 in driving accuracy (59.52 percent) and T24 in GIR (67.78 percent) this season).
Teams
Crushers GC (Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III)
The Crushers are still in search of their first LIV Golf team trophy this season, but they are coming off a solo second in Miami thanks to the efforts of DeChambeau (T5), Howell (T12) and Lahiri (T18). The Crushers lead the league in driving accuracy (61.07 percent) and fifth in GIR (68.89 percent).
Fireballs GC (Sergio Garcia, David Puig, Abraham Ancer, Luis Masaveu)
The Fireballs sit at the top of the standings thanks to three straight victories, though they weren't able to make it four in a row in Miami. They rank in the top-3 in five of six statistical categories and lead the league in scrambling 62.24 percent).
Honorable mentions: Ripper GC (coming off an eight-stroke victory in Miami for their first team trophy of the season and have three podium finishes on the year), 4Aces GC (have quietly cracked the top-5 in the standings thanks to back-to-back solo third finishes).
PLAY LIV GOLF FANTASY NOW: Now that you read what the experts have to say, it is time to submit your own picks.
