10 players most likely to win their first LIV Golf event in 2026

1. David Puig 

The young Spaniard continues to get better each year and is now coming off an offseason that saw him earn the biggest win of his career at the BMW Australian PGA Championship. Since then, his hot form has continued, finishing T3 at the Dubai Invitational and T7 at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.

Puig’s ceiling is extremely high, and it’s realistic to believe at the end of the season he could position himself as a top-5 player in the league. I feel confident that Puig gets his first LIV Golf win out of the way early in 2026.

2. Josele Ballester 

Ballester surprised golf fans when he got in contention at LIV Golf Chicago last year, eventually losing to Dean Burmester in a playoff. After an offseason that included at a win at the star-studded PIF Saudi International, no one will be surprised if he’s contending in 2026. Ballester has the raw power, short game and confidence to quickly develop into one of the best players in the world.

3. Tom McKibbin 

The Northern Irishman is only 23 years old but has already won on the DP World Tour as well as the International Series’ Link Hong Kong Open. McKibbin bet on himself by joining LIV Golf and remaining confident he can qualify for major championships, and he did just that, earning a spot at The Masters and Open Championship. LIV Golf’s crop of young players is extraordinarily impressive, and McKibbin is as good as any 23-year-old in the world.

4. Thomas Pieters 

The Belgian big-hitter is an elite ball-striker and has won six times on the DP World Tour but he's yet to seal the deal individually on LIV Golf. Pieters seemed to get much more comfortable towards the end of the 2025 season, reeling off two top-10's in his final two individual starts. Now joined by his close friend and fellow Belgian Thomas Detry on the 4Aces, the 33-year-old is in a great spot to earn his maiden LIV Golf win.

5. Caleb Surratt 

Surratt has steadily climbed the LIV standings over the past two seasons, showcasing his improvement and development. Playing alongside teammates and mentors in Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton has clearly paid dividends for the 21-year-old. Surratt is long off the tee and is already one of the league’s best putters. He’s delivered in big moments in the Team Championship already, now he’ll look to add an individual win to his trophy case.

6. Matthew Wolff

Wolff is a boom-or-bust player who’s admittedly been a lot more “bust” than “boom” over the last few years. However, the former PGA Tour winner still has a great deal of raw talent and is only 26 years old. If Wolff remains healthy, both physically and mentally, he can still play at a high level.

7. Byeong Hun An

Fresh off joining LIV Golf as captain of the new Korean Golf Club, An brings experience and high-level ball striking to the field. His distance off the tee and stellar around the green play make him an immediate threat to win in his first LIV Golf season.

8. Lucas Herbert

Herbert has come close to winning on LIV Golf on multiple occasions and is a proven winner on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. His power and short game are a dangerous combination if he gets in contention this season. 

9. Anthony Kim

Kim showed over the offseason that he’s more than just a reclamation project; he can compete at the highest level. After finishing T5 at the PIF Saudi International in a stacked field, he finished 3rd at LIV Golf Promotions, earning his spot in the league. I believe Kim still has the accuracy and short game to win on one of LIV Golf’s shorter tracks.

10. Thomas Detry

Detry demonstrated at last year’s WM Phoenix Open just how spectacular he can be when he won by seven strokes. The Belgian is one of the most talented players in the world. If he can make putts under pressure, he can win on LIV Golf right away.