FULL SEASON POWER RANKINGS: HOW THE 12 LIV GOLF LEAGUE TEAMS STACK UP IN 2023

Putting the defending champs anywhere but No. 1 going into the 2023 season is folly. Talor Gooch provided some timely low scores last year, and his departure would normally be a cause for alarm. But Peter Uihlein is a terrific replacement, coming off a year in which he finished third in the Individual Champion race. First place, of course, was captured by 4Aces captain Dustin Johnson – and fourth place went to Patrick Reed. So, in essence, the 4Aces have three of last year’s top four individual performers on their team this season (along with returning glue guy Pat Perez). The only thing the Aces didn’t do last season was win outside the U.S., so we’ll see if that’s a factor again – especially early, with three of the first five tournaments in Mexico, Australia and Singapore.

The Fireballs finished third in points last season, and with the same lineup returning, it’s easy to peg them as a top-three team this year. Captain Sergio Garcia had offseason knee surgery, but he seems to have bounced back quickly with a top-five finish at the International Series Oman. Abraham Ancer, determined to perform better than he did last season, won the PIF Saudi International earlier this month, so that’s a great sign. Carlos Ortiz and Eugenio Chacarra (the LIV Golf Bangkok winner) had big moments last year and should only be better. But the biggest factor may be the two LIV Golf events in which the Spanish-speaking Fireballs will have heavy support – Mayakoba and Valderrama. Got to like their chances in each one.

Cameron Smith’s newly branded team hopes to benefit from having a home game at LIV Golf Adelaide, where they will be fueled by their fellow Aussies. But this isn’t just about that one week at The Grange. Smith, the reigning Open Champion, showed he can put the team on his back and practically carry them to a title – as he nearly did last year on the final day of the Miami Team Championship. Expect Marc Leishman to make a bigger impact this season, while Matt Jones offers consistency. The addition of Jediah Morgan is intriguing – he struggled in his two starts with the pre-Smith Punch GC last year but played much better down the stretch with Torque GC. If he continues to raise his game, he’ll provide a big dose of depth.

The Brooks Koepka-led team found its footing late in the 2022 season, eventually winning the team title at LIV Golf Jeddah (with Brooks beating then-teammate Peter Uihlein in a playoff for the individual crown). Smash then made a spirited run to the Championship round in Miami, eventually claiming third place. Uihlein is gone now, but big-hitting Matthew Wolff transfers in to fill that void. Wolff displayed moments of brilliance last season, and if his putting is more consistent, he’ll have a big year. Brooks is Brooks, of course, a threat every week, while carryovers Jason Kokrak and Chase Koepka are sneaky-solid contributors. Smash will have at least one tournament in which everything is aligned. If that happens multiple times, then this No. 7 ranking is too low.

The bottom-half ranking of this veteran crew has more to do with the strong depth of the team rosters this season than anything specific to the Majesticks. In other words, a top-four finish in regular season points would be no surprise. The three-headed captaincy of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson – the only team with multiple captains – will be an advantage in areas both on and off the course. Stenson won in his LIV Golf debut last year and the Majesticks reached the podium in his first two starts but could not build on that momentum down the stretch. With three established stars and 26-year-old Sam Horsfield, the Majesticks can make serious noise – especially at some of the new venues (Tucson, Valderrama, Singapore) in which team members have had prior success.

Thanks to a weight-loss program during the offseason, Phil Mickelson is slimmer than last year. But no doubt the 52-year-old captain is hungry to lead the HyFlyers to steady success. Half of his roster has changed, though, and the loss of Matthew Wolff and Bernd Wiesberger might be felt. Returnee Cameron Tringale, 20th in the Individual Champion standings last season, joins new Flyers James Piot and Brendan Steele to complete the revamped lineup. Piot had his moments last season while playing for the former Niblicks, and the 39-year-old Steele is a 10-time winner that offers a steady hand. If Mickelson rebounds and returns to the form that won him the 2021 PGA Championship at age 50, then the HyFlyers will be ready for takeoff.