Power Rankings: LIV Golf stars at The Open Championship

This week, 19 LIV Golf members will be among the 156 players competing in the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

The 7,381-yard, par-71 course will be a true links test for players this week. The difficulty of Royal Portrush will be largely dependent on the wind and weather conditions.

The 19 players representing LIV Golf will look to bring the League its first major championship of 2025.

Here are the power rankings going into the week:

1. Jon Rahm

Best Open Championship Finish: 2nd (2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool)

Recent Form: 2nd (LIV Golf Andalucía), T11 (LIV Golf Dallas), T7 (U.S. Open)

Legion XIII’s Jon Rahm is my pick to win the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush, so of course, he tops the power rankings.

Rahm has been spectacular throughout his career in Ireland. He’s won the Irish Open twice (2017 and 2019) at Portstewart and Lahinch, respectively. Rahm’s game has translated beautifully to links golf, and he also has experience at Royal Portrush, where he finished T11 at the 2019 Open Championship.

At LIV Golf Andalucía, Rahm spoke about playing golf in Ireland. “Every week I've had in Ireland has been such a wonderful experience. Whether it's the golf course, the tournament, the people, I don't know. I really couldn't tell you exactly what it is. But every time I've gone it's been overwhelmingly positive, so I think that's led to me playing good.”

Last week, Rahm charged up the leaderboard on Sunday at Valderrama, coming up just short of Talor Gooch and finishing in second place. After the round, Rahm expressed extreme confidence in his current form.

“Honestly, I probably hit it better than I have in the last year and a half. Started seeing some shots that reminded me of some other good weeks, and once I got it going today and I felt comfortable on the greens.”

Rahm’s major performances have been strong so far in 2025. He finished T14 at the Masters, T8 at the PGA Championship and T7 at the U.S. Open. I will be extremely surprised if the Spaniard isn’t in contention come Sunday.

2. Tyrrell Hatton

Best Open Championship Finish: 5th (2016 U.S. Open at Royal Liverpool)

Recent Form: T23 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T5 (LIV Golf Dallas), T4 (U.S. Open)

Tyrrell Hatton is arguably one of the best links players in the world. The Legion XIII standout has amassed eight victories on the DP World Tour, including three wins at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.

Hatton enters the week in good form. He’s also coming off the best major championship finish in his career at the U.S. Open (T4). Although his last hole at Oakmont didn’t go according to plan, the fact that he was able to contend and make meaningful shots at the final round of a major will provide invaluable experience.

In what should be a windy and difficult week, Hatton is the type of player who can grind out a solid score in tough conditions.

3. Patrick Reed

Best Open Championship Finish: 10th (2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush)

Recent Form: T10 (LIV Golf Andalucía), MC (BMW International Open), 1st (LIV Golf Dallas)

Historically, Patrick Reed hasn’t been an outstanding Open Championship player; however, his best career finish in an Open came at Royal Portrush. The 4Aces GC standout enters the week in good form with a win just a couple of starts ago in Dallas, and extremely confident. Reed knows what a win would mean for his Ryder Cup chances and spoke about the subject prior to last week’s start at LIV Golf Andalucía.

“I think it all comes down to next week at The Open. Obviously play well here, but go ahead and win the Open Championship, and I believe I'd be inside the top 6 on points, so I think that would lock it in and allow me to be on the team.”

4. Brooks Koepka

Best Open Championship Finish: 4th (2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush)

Recent Form: T32 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T12 (U.S. Open), T33 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Brooks Koepka’s current form may not be quite where he’d want it to be entering a major championship week, but the Smash GC captain is a very good and most definitely underrated links player. Koepka has four top-10 finishes at The Open including a T4 at the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush, the best Open Championship finish of his career.

During the 2019 Open Championship, Koepka expressed strong confidence in his caddie, Ricky Elliott, a Portrush native with extensive knowledge of the course, saying, “Every hole, I just step up on, ‘You tell me what to do; you’ve played it more than anybody.’ Just let him figure it out. He knows his spots to miss, the spots to come in from, with different hole locations and different winds. Definitely have a little bit more confidence having him on the bag this week, knowing this golf course so well.”

Coming into the 2025 season, I felt this major would be the one where Koepka was the most dangerous. Plenty may doubt him this week but writing him off would be unwise.

5. Lucas Herbert

Best Open Championship Finish: 22nd (2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: T32 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T40 (LIV Golf Dallas), 46th (LIV Golf Virginia)

Lucas Herbert may not be arriving to The Open Championship in peak form, but I believe he’s a better links player than he’s given credit for.

Herbert won the Irish Open at Mount Juliet in 2021, demonstrating the ability to make difficult up-and-downs when necessary. The Australian has one of the most underrated short games in the world.

Herbert’s caddie, Nick Pugh, grew up right by Hoylake and has tremendous links golf knowledge that should be invaluable to Herbert this week.

6. Joaquin Niemann

Best Open Championship Finish: 53rd (2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: T8 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T23 (LIV Golf Dallas), MC (U.S. Open)

Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann has yet to perform well in an Open Championship, with his six starts at golf’s oldest major producing two missed cuts to go along with three finishes of 53rd or worse. However, at 26 years old, the Chilean still has his best golf in front of him and will undoubtedly play well in an Open at some point.

Niemann’s low ball flight and shot making creativity should suit him for Royal Portrush. He’s also historically a good wind player. After missing the cut at the U.S. Open, Niemann may relish the opportunity to come into a major championship under the radar for the first time in a few years.

7. Lee Westwood

Best Open Championship Finish: 2nd (2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: T32 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T25 (LIV Golf Dallas), T10 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Father Time may be undefeated, but at The Open Championship, he’s got a few bogeys on his card.

Last year, Justin Rose, a wily veteran, showed his class by contending at Royal Troon. Although he’s a few years older, Lee Westwood could do something similar at The Open.

In 2019, the Majesticks GC tri-captain posted a T4 at Royal Portrush, increasing his number of top 5’s at Open Championships to five. While the former world No.1 knows his window to contend in majors is narrowing, Westwood’s links experience and grit make him a dark horse.

8. Sergio Garcia

Best Open Championship Finish: 2nd (2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool)

Recent Form: T10 (LIV Golf Andalucía), MC (BMW International Open), T25 (LIV Golf Dallas)

Fireballs GC Captain Sergio Garcia has an incredible Open Championship record, boasting 10 top-10 finishes over the course of his magnificent career. Lately, the Spaniard’s Open performances haven’t matched the strong form he consistently shown throughout most of his career. In his past five Open starts, Garcia has one top-20 finish (2021) to go along with a missed cut and two finishes of 67th or worse.

Garcia has been out of form of late, but a strong showing at Valderrama may be just what he needed to generate some positive momentum. He finished T10 and struck the ball well, gaining 1.38 strokes off the tee per round, which ranked 2nd in the field.

Garcia, absent from The Open Championship since 2022, will be eager to rediscover his form in a major where veteran players often shine.

9. Tom McKibbin

Best Open Championship Finish: 66th (2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon)

Recent Form: T5 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T5 (LIV Golf Dallas), T38 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Tom McKibbin of Legion XIII will compete in his second Open Championship, bringing familiarity with links golf as a Northern Irishman. He made the cut at last year’s Open, and while his finish wasn’t standout, it showed his ability to adapt swiftly to a major on a links course.

At 22, McKibbin is still honing his game, but the young golfer has been exceptional off the tee this season. Across his 12 starts in 2025, he has gained strokes off the tee in every event.

McKibbin, who developed his skills at the same Holywood Golf Club where Rory McIlroy started, is entering The Open in excellent form. He’s fresh off a Legion XIII team victory at Valderrama where he contributed with his second consecutive LIV Golf T5 finish. McKibbin should be viewed as a threat this week.

10. Bryson DeChambeau

Best Open Championship Finish: 8th (2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: T30 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T9 (LIV Golf Dallas), MC (U.S. Open)

Bryson DeChambeau does have one top-10 finish in an Open Championship, which came at the bomber friendly St. Andrews in 2022. Outside of that, the Crushers GC captain has struggled in Open Championships. In his six starts outside of 2022, DeChambeau has three missed cuts with his next best finish being a T33 in 2021 at Royal St. George’s.

I’d never fully count out a talent like DeChambeau, but it’s clear this major suits him less than the others.

11. Dustin Johnson

Best Open Championship Finish: 2nd (2011 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s)

Recent Form: T7 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T13 (LIV Golf Dallas), MC (U.S. Open)

4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson has five top-10 finishes at The Open Championship, with his most recent coming in 2022 - a T6 finish at St. Andrews.

Johnson’s 2025 season has been inconsistent. He’s shown glimpses of the brilliance that defined much of his career as a top player but has struggled to maintain steady form. Johnson had one of those brilliant rounds last week at Valderrama, shooting a 7-under 64 on Saturday, which was the best round of the week. He led the field in strokes gained on short approach shots, which should suit him well at Royal Portrush.

12. Cameron Smith

Best Open Championship Finish: 1st (2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: T7 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T13 (LIV Golf Dallas), MC (U.S. Open)

Cameron Smith is one of the most creative players in the world, which has yielded success at The Open Championship. The Ripper GC captain won The Open in 2022 at St. Andrews, with his next best finish coming in the form of a T20 at Royal Portrush in 2019.

Smith is ideally suited for The Open but has missed the cut in four straight major championships. While his driving has always been inconsistent, his approach play has declined this season, losing strokes on approach in 12 of his 14 starts in 2025.

The 31-year-old had an encouraging performance last week at Valderrama, earning his first top-10 finish since LIV Golf Korea. If Smith is to break his major missed cut streak, he’ll need to find some fairways and improve his short iron performance.

13. Dean Burmester

Best Open Championship Finish: 11th (2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: 51st (LIV Golf Andalucía), T18 (LIV Golf Dallas), T23 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Dean Burmester of Stinger GC has been a reliable Open Championship contender, securing consecutive top-20 finishes in his two most recent starts (2022 and 2024). However, his current form has dipped compared to earlier in the season, when he achieved a T4 in Riyadh and a runner-up finish in Hong Kong. Burmester’s exceptional talent makes him a formidable threat at any course and can certainly rise to the occasion this week, but his current form creates serious question marks regarding his chances at Royal Portrush.

14. Marc Leishman

Best Open Championship Finish: 2nd (2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: 50th (LIV Golf Andalucía), T25 (LIV Golf Dallas), T38 (U.S. Open)

Marc Leishman of Ripper GC has secured three top-5 finishes in The Open Championship from 2014 to 2017, more than in any other major. However, the Australian has faltered lately, missing the cut in his past three Open appearances, including at Royal Portrush in 2019.

Leishman also arrives at The Open having finished near the bottom of the leaderboard last week at Valderrama, losing strokes to the field in all major statistical categories.

15. Louis Oosthuizen

Best Open Championship Finish: 1st (2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews)

Recent Form: T45 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T2 (LIV Golf Dallas), T23 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Louis Oosthuizen has won an Open Championship (2010) and lost in a playoff in another (2015) with both of those instances taking place at St. Andrews.

The Stinger GC captain has missed two of his last three cuts at The Open, but does have a T23 finish at Royal Liverpool in 2023. Oosthuizen is more than capable of performing at an Open Championship, but his current ball striking form leaves much to be desired.

The 42-year-old finished T2 at LIV Golf Dallas, but the performance was fueled by a hot putter and strong play around the green. Last week at Valderrama, he didn’t do much to prove that his Dallas performance wasn’t an aberration, finishing T45. If Oosthuizen is to contend at Royal Portrush, he’ll need to have an improved week both off the tee and on approach.

16. Carlos Ortiz

Best Open Championship Finish: MC (2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s)

Recent Form: 48th (LIV Golf Andalucía), T40 (LIV Golf Dallas), T4 (U.S. Open)

Carlos Ortiz has competed in just one Open Championship (St. Andrews, 2021) and has minimal experience on links courses throughout his career. Ortiz is having a fantastic year for Torque GC and demonstrated he can compete with some of the best players in the world on the biggest stage at the U.S. Open, where he finished in the top 5.

Ortiz’ lack of links experience combined with back-to-back poor performances at Dallas and Valderrama have him lower in the power rankings than his talent should suggest.

17. Phil Mickelson

Best Open Championship Finish: 1st (2013 Open Championship at Muirfield)

Recent Form: T23 (LIV Golf Andalucía), 49th (LIV Golf Dallas), MC (U.S. Open)

Phil Mickelson won an Open Championship in 2013 and was runner-up to Henrik Stenson in 2016 at Royal Troon. Since then, the HyFlyers GC captain has missed the cut at The Open in five of his last seven trips across the pond.

Mickelson will look to make his first major championship cut of the season this week at Royal Portrush.

18. Jason Kokrak

Best Open Championship Finish: 26th (2021 Open Championship at Royal St. George's)

Recent Form: T10 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T40 (LIV Golf Dallas), T23 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Jason Kokrak of Smash GC will be making his first Open Championship start since 2023 this week at Royal Portrush. The 40-year-old is having a down year and currently ranks 40th in the LIV Golf individual standings.

Kokrak’s T10 at Valderrama was encouraging, but an Irish links test probably isn’t the type of event the veteran is most suited for.

19. Henrik Stenson

Best Open Championship Finish: 1st (2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon)

Recent Form: T8 (LIV Golf Andalucía), T25 (LIV Golf Dallas), T44 (LIV Golf Virginia)

Henrik Stenson put together one of the best performances in Open Championship history when he outdueled Phil Mickelson in 2016. Outside of his win, he has three additional top-5 finishes and had a strong showing recently in 2023, when he finished T13 at Royal Liverpool. Although his history at The Open is strong, the Majesticks GC tri-captain has fallen out of form this season and currently ranks 43rd in the LIV Golf individual standings. The biggest issue for Stenson has been with the putter, as he’s lost strokes putting in nine of his ten starts this season.