First Look: LIV Golf UK by JCB

ROCESTER, England – LIV Golf returns to JCB Golf and Country Club for the second consecutive season for this week’s LIV Golf UK by JCB, the 11th tournament of the 14-event 2025 season.

BASIC INFO

When: July 25-27, 2025

Where: JCB Golf and Country Club, Rocester, Uttoxeter, England

Competition: Three rounds/54 holes of stroke play

Field: 54 players – 13 teams of four players each, and two wild cards

Defending champions: Jon Rahm (individual), Legion XIII (team)

Shotgun Start local time
Rd. 1, 1:05 p.m.
Rd. 2, 1:05 p.m.
Rd. 3, 1:05 p.m.

More information: Tickets | Tournament | Broadcast info

KEY STORYLINES

LIV Golf returns to England for the fourth consecutive season and second time for the UK event at JCB Golf and Country Club

Three regular-season tournaments are left in the 2025 LIV Golf season, with the Individual Championship race; Lock Zone, Open Zone and Drop Zone status; and seedings for the Team Championship at stake

Jon Rahm won the first of his two LIV Golf tournament titles last year at UK en route to the season-long Individual Championship

Rahm’s Legion XIII team are the defending UK champions and enter this week as the season-long team points leaders following their victory at LIV Golf Andalucía

Legion XIII has won seven of its first 20 tournaments – and reached the podium five other times – since joining LIV Golf as the league’s first expansion team

Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, with four wins this season, remains the season-long leader in the 2025 Individual Championship race, with Rahm and Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau within striking distance of overtaking him this week

Smash GC’s Talor Gooch will seek his second consecutive individual tournament victory after winning in Andalucía – his first LIV Golf win since the 2023 season

Gooch has celebrated more trophy wins (individual and team) than any other LIV Golf player with 13 – four individual tournament wins, one Individual Championship (2023), seven team tournament wins and one Team Championship (with 4Aces GC in 2022)

Six Englishmen are among the 54 LIV Golf regular players who compete each week – Richard Bland (Cleeks Golf Club), Paul Casey (Crushers GC), Tyrrell Hatton (Legion XIII) and the Majesticks GC trio of Sam Horsfield and co-captains Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood

Hatton and Westwood were among the 19 LIV Golf players who competed in last week’s Open Championship, with Hatton finishing T16 and Westwood T34

BACK HOME IN ENGLAND

Six LIV Golf players will enjoy the local support back home in their native England this week at JCB Golf and Country Club.

RICHARD BLAND (Cleeks GC). Born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. Lives in Surrey, England. An original LIV Golf member, he has been one of the league’s steadiest performers, finishing in the top-24 Lock Zone in each of the first three seasons. Also won consecutive Senior majors in his first two attempts last season. Supports Southhamption FC.

PAUL CASEY (Crushers GC). Born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Joined LIV Golf in the middle of the inaugural 2022 season. Has twice been involved in individual playoffs at LIV Golf events (2024 Hong Kong, 2025 Dallas) and also one team playoff (2025 Andalucia). Five-time Ryder Cup player. Favorite golf hole is the Postage Stamp at Troon.

TYRRELL HATTON (Legion XIII). Born in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. Lives in Buckinghamshire and Florida. Joined LIV Golf prior to the 2024 season as part of Jon Rahm’s expansion team. An individual winner last season at LIV Golf Nashville. On pace to make his fourth consecutive Ryder Cup team on merit. Produced his career-best major result with a T4 at 2025 U.S. Open. Supports Liverpool FC. Likes the 19th hole at Hogs Head Golf Club in Ireland.

SAM HORSFIELD (Majesticks GC). Born in Manchester. Resides in Derbyshire and Florida. Original LIV Golf member. Finished runner-up to Hatton in Nashville last year, his best LIV Golf individual finish. Led the Majesticks in points last season and is currently the team leader in points this season. Supports Manchester United.

IAN POULTER (Majesticks GC Co-Captain). Born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Lives in Orlando, Florida. Original LIV Golf member. Has three top-10 individual finishes in LIV Golf. Seven-time Ryder Cup member who has also represented his country at six World Cups and three Seve Trophy competitions. Has 17 career wins acoss mutiple tours. Supports Arsenal.

LEE WESTWOOD (Majesticks GC Co-Captain). Born in Worksop, Nottinghamshire. Lives in Newcastle. Original LIV Golf member. Has shot 62 in two separate LIV Golf events, including this season in Virginia. Has 44 career wins and has competed in 11 Ryder Cups. Tied an Open Championship record last weekend at Royal Portrush by shooting a back-nine 29. Supports Nottingham Forest.

MOST TROPHIES

With his individual win at LIV Golf Andalucía, Smash GC’s Talor Gooch has now celebrated more trophies than any other LIV Golf player. The top 5:

ABOUT THE COURSE

JCB GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
Rocester, England

Par: 71
Yardage: 7,301
Meters: 6,678

• The JCB is the brainchild of Lord Anthony Bamford (son of Joseph Cyril Bamford) who is the chairman at the construction company started by his father, where the club gets its name

• Designed by Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design, the course opened for play in 2018 and made Golf Monthly’s list of 10 Most Exclusive Golf Clubs in the UK

• The course routing utilizes a variety of landscapes, including open farmland, stately parkland, woodlands and spectacular lake lands

• Holes 1 and 3 utilize the Uttoxeter Canal, while holes 5, 11 and 12 play along the Alders Brook

• The island green 17th is the longest par 3 on the course at 244 yards

• The 506-yard 6th plays as a par 5 for members but will be a par 4 for LIV Golf UK. It was the most difficult hole last season, playing to a stroke average of 4.364

• Holes 2 (337 yards) and 12 (324 yards) are both potentially drivable par 3s; the 12th was the easiest hole last year, playing to a stroke average of 3.642, with the field making 10 eagles

• Creeping Bent grass is on the greens with a projected green speed of 11

KEYS TO SUCCESS

LOTS OF BIRDIES: JCB will be one of the lowest scoring courses on the LIV Golf circuit this season with a projected winning score of 14 under. Players who can convert GIR birdie chances this week should excel.

PROXIMITY TO HOLE FROM FAIRWAY: Creating easier birdie chances via proximity to hole will increase those scoring odds.

200-250 YARD APPROACHES: More than 25% of approach shots will come from this length.

WEATHER OUTLOOK

Forecast from weather.com

SCORING LEADERS

Team

Individual

STROKES GAINED LEADERS

Minimum 15 rounds

SEASON SCORING LEADERS