LIV Golf Watch: The Week Ahead (September 29-October 5)

LIVGolf.com’s newest feature, LIV Golf Watch: The Week Ahead, tracks the participation of LIV Golf players in tournaments around the world during the offseason, as well as provide a roundup of notes regarding the league’s players and teams. This week, 16 LIV Golf players will be playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour and LIV Golf players will be playing the Jakarta International Championship on the Asian Tour’s International Series.

ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

The Alfred Dunhill Links is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the DP World Tour and will feature a three-course rotation that includes The Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, and Kingsbarns Golf Links. The tournament is also a pro-am, and the only one on the DP World Tour schedule. There will be a cut after 54 holes with the final round taking place at the Old Course at St. Andrews.

The Old Course at St. Andrews, often referred to as "The Home of Golf", is a is a par 72 measuring 7,318 yards and its difficulty is highly dependent on the weather. Carnoustie, the toughest of the three courses, is a par 72 measuring 7,394 yards. Kingsbarns Golf Links is the newest of the three courses that is less than ten miles from St Andrew and is a par 72, 7,227 yards.

The LIV Golf contingent will be joined by a star-studded field including Tommy Fleetwood, Tony Finau and Matt Fitzpatrick.

TYRRELL HATTON

Tyrrell Hatton is the defending champion this week and is one of the best links players in the world. Last year, the Legion XIII star outlasted Nicolas Colsaerts and Tommy Fleetwood to win at 24-under. He shot a Saturday 11-under 61 at St. Andrews and followed it with a 2-under 70 on Sunday. Hatton has won the tournament three times, including back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.

DUSTIN JOHNSON

The 4Aces GC captain hasn’t played in the Alfred Dunhill Links since 2012 (T47) and has only made one additional start at the tournament in 2011 (MC). Johnson ended the LIV Golf season strong in Indianapolis with a 3rd place finish and gained 5.5 strokes on approach, his second-best total of the season. He doesn’t play on the DP World Tour often but won his most recent start in 2021 at the Saudi International at Royal Greens.

MATT JONES

Matt Jones made his Dunhill Links debut last year and missed the cut. The 45-year-old doesn’t play much on the DP World Tour outside of his regular starts at the Australian Open. Jones finished 40th in the 2025 LIV Golf standings.

MARTIN KAYMER

The Cleeks Golf Club captain was a regular at the Alfred Dunhill from 2010-2021, winning his tournament debut in 2010. Kaymer also finished T7 in 2013 and 6th in 2016 so he certainly suits the course when he’s in form. The 40-year-old struggled in the second half of the LIV Golf season but showed glimpses of a resurgence at a few points in 2025.

FREDERIK KJETTRUP

After just one season with LIV Golf, Frederik Kjettrup was relegated and must earn his way back through the International Series or promotions event. The Dane is a talented player and has plenty of time to regain his form. He’ll start by making his debut at the Dunhill Links.

BROOKS KOEPKA

In his most recent start, Brooks Koepka earned a spot in the final group at the FedEx Open de France. Although he came up short, finishing 4th, the performance was extremely encouraging for the five-time major champion. The Smash GC captain has struggled mightily with the putter in 2025 but has shown significant progress of late. Koepka has played the Dunhill Links five times and has only finished outside the top-10 once. His most recent start came in 2024 where he finished T10.

TOM MCKIBBIN

The Legion XIII rising star has had a strong start to his offseason, finishing T20 at the Amgen Irish Open and T11 at the BMW PGA Championship. The Northern Irishman will be making his third appearance at the Dunhill Links, with his best finish coming in 2023 (T14). With his current form and experience playing links golf, McKibbin is a strong candidate to be a contender this week.

ADRIAN MERONK

Adrian Meronk has had a lackluster stretch on the DP World Tour following the conclusion of the LIV Golf season. The Cleeks GC star has played in three events, missing the cut in all three. Meronk has played in the Dunhill Links on four occasions with minimal success. His best finish was a T22 in 2022.

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

The Stinger GC captain has three top-10 finishes in nine starts at the Dunhill Links, with his best finish coming in 2011 (T5). The South African won the 2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews so clearly has plenty of experience playing one of the world’s most iconic courses. Oosthuizen hasn’t played frequently on the DP World Tour in recent years but typically will play the South African Open, Mauritus Open and the Dunhill Links. In recent years, his partner in the pro-am has been his close friend and South African billionaire, Johann Rupert.

THOMAS PIETERS

Thomas Pieters has played the Dunhill Links on six occasions, with his best finish coming in his debut start (T18). The Belgian ended the LIV Golf season strong, finishing T8 in two consecutive starts in Chicago and Indianapolis.

DAVID PUIG

David Puig dazzled in his debut at last year’s Dunhill Links, finishing T4 and shooting the second-lowest round of the week at Kingsbarns Golf Links (63). His power off the tee should give him the opportunity to go low at St. Andrews, which he failed to do last year, costing him a chance at victory. The Fireballs GC star should be a contender this week.

PATRICK REED

Patrick Reed has played twice on the DP World Tour since his LIV Golf season came to an end, and made a serious charge at Wentworth in the BMW Championship, finishing T3 after firing a Sunday 66. Reed has only played the Dunhill Links twice. He missed the cut in 2011 and finished T35 in 2024.

CAMERON SMITH

The Ripper GC captain had one of the most memorable major championship performances in the history of professional golf when he chased down Rory McIlroy on Sunday of the 2022 Open Championship. He finished at 20-under par (268), setting a new Open Championship record for the lowest score to par at St. Andrews. Smith’s bogey-free 8-under 64 was the lowest final-round score by a champion in Open history, overcoming a four-shot deficit. With the victory, he became the first Australian to win The Open since Greg Norman in 1993 and the third Aussie to win at St. Andrews. Smith will be making his debut at the Dunhill Links.

BRENDAN STEELE

Steele will be making his debut at the Dunhill Links and hasn’t played on the DP World Tour since the Scottish Open in 2016. The HyFlyers GC stalwart will look to find some form after finishing 45th in the LIV Golf standings in 2025.

CALEB SURRATT

Caleb Surratt played in the Dunhill Links last season and missed the cut. He struggled mightily around the green, losing 2.41 strokes per round for the week. His approach play was fantastic, gaining 1.9 strokes per round. If the 21-year-old can learn from his 2024 start, he may be a bit more comfortable playing links golf this week.

PETER UIHLEIN

Peter Uihlein has made six starts at the Dunhill Links, with four finishes of 22nd or better. His best finish came in 2013 where he finished runner-up. Uihlein is no stranger to going low in the tournament. Last year, he shot a second-round 7-under 65 at Carnoustie, which was tied for the lowest round of the week at the most difficult of the three tracks.

BUBBA WATSON

Bubba Watson had a fantastic season in 2025, finishing 11th in the LIV Golf standings. The RangeGoats GC captain will be making his debut at the Dunhill Links and has rarely played on the DP World Tour over the course of his career. Watson did play at St. Andrews in both the 2010 and 2015 Open Championship, missing the cut on both occasions.

JAKARTA INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

The inaugural Jakarta International Championship will take place at one of the country’s most recognizable venues, Damai Indah Golf – PIK course and will have a purse of $2 million, making it Indonesia’s most lucrative golf tournament. Damai Indah Golf is a par 71 measuring 7,124 yards.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour, said: “Jakarta has been a popular and regular destination for the Asian Tour for decades, so staging the Jakarta International Championship has great meaning to us.

“It is going to be an incredible addition to our schedule, not only bringing something new to our line-up but also adding importance in terms of a lucrative purse, outstanding golf course and place on The International Series.”

JINICHIRO KOZUMA

Jinichiro Kozuma will be making his second start since the conclusion of the LIV Golf season. He missed the cut at the KBC Augusta on the Japan Tour in the last week of August.

ANTHONY KIM

Anthony Kim has been hard at work since the LIV Golf season ended with his relegation, sharing videos of his practice on social media. The former Ryder Cup star is still working his way back into form after 12 years away from professional golf.

CHIEH PO LEE

Chieh-Po Lee will be playing for the third time in four weeks after finishing 34th at the Yeander TPC and T44 at the Taiwan Masters.

PLAYER NEWS

- Tyrrell Hatton earned the winning half point for Europe in their Ryder Cup victory, tying his match with Collin Morikawa. Despite sitting a session, Hatton earned 3.5 out of a possible four points. He was one of only two players on either team to end the week undefeated (3-0-1). Shane Lowry went 0-1-2. The Legion XIII star hasn’t lost a Ryder Cup match since his singles match in 2021. His 8-match unbeaten streak is the longest active streak of any player on either side.

- Jon Rahm played in all five possible sessions in the Ryder Cup, earning three points, which ranked 4th on the team behind Tommy Fleetwood (4), Rory McIlroy (3.5) and Hatton (3.5). Rahm extended his all-time foursomes record to 6-0-0. He gained 2.35 strokes on the field, which ranked 5th amongst European players and 8th best overall. He ranked 1st for the week in SG: Around the Green (+3.49) and ranked 4th in SG: Off the Tee (+1.66).

- Bryson DeChambeau played in all five matches for the United States, going 1-3-1 overall. He ranked second amongst all Americans in Strokes Gained: Total (+3.62) and 5th among all players on either side.

- For years, it was widely speculated that Phil Mickelson would be the Ryder Cup captain at Bethpage Black. That didn’t happen, and with fans speculating that he should lead the charge at Adare Manor in 2027, the HyFlyers GC captain took to social media to squash those rumors.

- Rahm, who’s moved to T19 on the all-time European Ryder Cup points list, was celebrating with fans after Europe’s victory.

- Dustin Johnson has committed to play in the International Series Philippines presented by BingoPlus. The 4Aces GC captain will join fellow major winners Bubba Watson, captain of RangeGoats GC, Patrick Reed of 4Aces GC, Charl Schwartzel of Stinger GC and Stinger GC Captain Louis Oosthuizen for the eagerly awaited tournament which takes place at Sta. Elena Golf Club from Oct. 23-26.

The 41-year-old said: "What I love most about the game is that it takes me to places I might never have gone otherwise, and the Philippines is one of those places. To be able to play in front of new fans, experience a different culture, and share the excitement of world-class golf in a country that's still discovering the sport — that's really special for me."

Johnson added: "The International Series is also a perfect fit for where I'm at in my career. Even though the LIV Golf season is over, I still want to compete, stay sharp, and challenge myself against some of the best players out here. Playing these events keeps me fresh, keeps me hungry, and at the same time helps grow the game in parts of the world that deserve to see it up close."

- Ian Poulter commented on the Ryder Cup’s rowdy crowd on his Instagram page. "I've been quiet on social and just observing the Ryder Cup matches," he wrote.

"NY was always going to be a load intense battle. My hope would have been for this have been played out without some altercations and just pure passion from the crowd.

"It's over spilled and now become ugly and is not a good look for golf. This unfortunately was always going to happen.”

- Rory McIlroy stoked the flames of his growing rivalry with Bryson DeChambeau after Europe’s Ryder Cup win. The Northern Irishman put a Europe flag over DeChambeau’s name while celebrating with Matt Fitzpatrick, who tied his match with DeChambeau on Sunday after having a 5-up lead through seven holes.

- Scottie Scheffler praised Bryson DeChambeau’s leadership after the Ryder Cup, calling him the ‘emotinal leader’ of the United States team. “The fight that Bryson showed today and yesterday, I mean, the way he played in our match in the afternoon was amazing, and I don't think I could have done what I did in my match today if he didn't do what he was doing in front of me. He's an emotional leader of our team and he's been great.”

- Jon Rahm pulled off one of the most impressive shots of the Ryder Cup. While standing in the greenside bunker of the 8th hole with the ball in an awkward position in the greenside rough, Rahm holed out for an incredible birdie in a tied match against Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.

- Abraham Ancer has committed to the Australian Open at Royal Melbourne. He won the event in 2018.