Team Power Rankings: ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh

LIV Golf is set to kick off the 2026 season at Riyadh Golf Club to play ROSHN Group LIV Golf Riyadh. It is the first stop on the 14-event schedule, and the tournament will be played under the lights for a second consecutive season. Last year at Riyadh Golf Club, Adrian Meronk claimed his first LIV Golf individual victory and Legion XIII took the team title in dominant fashion. The course is a par 72 measuring 7,454-yards and will demand strong off the tee play and the ability to make birdies in bunches.

TEAM POWER RANKINGS  

1. Legion XIII 

Last season, Legion XIII won the team title in Riyadh by a comfortable margin of 11 shots. All four members of the team finished in the top 15 of the individual standings with Jon Rahm the best of bunch, finishing T2, two strokes behind Meronk. Not only does Legion XIII have two of the best players in the league in Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, but Caleb Surratt’s history at Riyadh Golf Club has been nothing short of phenomenal. The 21-year-old has played the course three times as part of LIV Golf and the International Series and boasts finishes of 11th, T2 and 2nd.  

2. Torque GC 

Torque GC finished T9 at LIV Golf Riyadh last season, but they are simply too strong on paper this year to rank any lower than 2nd. The addition of Abraham Ancer to replace Mito Pereira, who struggled for much of 2025, makes them one of the favorites every week. Last year, Pereira finished T49 after posting a total score of even par while his teammate, Sebastian Munoz, finished T2. Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann also underperformed, finishing T33. I expect a better performance from Torque in Riyadh this season.  

3. Ripper GC 

Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith will be highly motivated to start the season and finished T2 at the 2024 PIF Saudi International at Riyadh Golf Club. The last time we saw Smith, he was in contention at the Crown Australian Open, ultimately finishing runner-up. Last season, Ripper finished 2nd on the team leaderboard, led by a strong performance from Lucas Herbert (T4). An energized Smith to go along with a team that fits the course well and a new addition of Elvis Smylie should challenge for a spot on the podium this week.  

4. 4Aces GC 

Despite losing Patrick Reed, I am high on the 4Aces chances this week in Riyadh. Both Belgians, Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry, suit the course beautifully and should be in store for a big week. Captain Dustin Johnson has performed well in the Middle East throughout his career and is a candidate for a bounce-back season. This week, the 4Aces will tune out the outside noise and perform on the golf course.  

5. Fireballs GC 

Although the overall roster may be slightly less impressive on paper with the loss of Abraham Ancer, the expected growth of young stars David Puig and Josele Ballester could very well make up the difference of losing the Mexican. Last year, both Puig and Captain Sergio Garcia finished T6 at the event.

6. Crushers GC 

While many teams made offseason changes, the Crushers stuck with the core they’ve gone with for the better part of four seasons. Bryson DeChambeau has had a quiet offseason and hasn’t made a professional start since the end of the LIV Golf season. This may seem like a low ranking for the Crushers, who are a perennial contender, but I believe the leader of the team may need a week or so to shake off the rust.  

7. RangeGoats GC 

Last season, the RangeGoats finished T2 in Riyadh, which was their only podium finish of the season. The result was relatively predictable, given the strength of the team is driving distance rather than driving accuracy. The golf course suits long hitters and is forgiving of missed fairways, which benefits players such as Matthew Wolff and Peter Uihlein. 

8. Southern Guards GC 

Dean Burmester was briefly in contention at LIV Golf Riyadh last season, finishing T4 after firing a final-round 65 as he attempted to chase Meronk. He’s a big hitter who thrives in this type of setup with wider fairways. The rest of the team, however, isn’t quite as strong of a fit for the golf course. Last season, each of Burmester’s teammates finished T25 or worse on the individual leaderboards.  

9. Smash GC 

There is a growing sense that Smash GC is rallying around their new captain Talor Gooch and the team seems more motivated and connected than ever. Gooch is a contender at plenty of courses on the LIV Golf schedule, but Riyadh doesn’t quite feel like one of them. Last season, the 34-year-old finished T44. The best performers in the 2025 event on the Smash roster this week were both Graeme McDowell and Jason Kokrak who both finished T21.

10. Cleeks Golf Club

Meronk was the individual winner of the event last season but isn’t arriving in the type of form that indicates he will be a back-to-back winner at Riyadh Golf Club. The addition of Victor Perez will help the team long term, but this event in particular won’t suit one of the shortest hitting teams in the league.  

11. HyFlyers GC

Michael La Sasso is a fantastic addition for the HyFlyers and is certainly a strong fit for Riyadh Golf Club. However, the 2025 NCAA Champion may need some time to get adjusted as he is making his first professional start this week. Last year, the HyFlyers finished second-to-last on the team leaderboard, with only Cameron Tringale finishing in the top 20 individually (T18). With Phil Mickelson not making the trip to Riyadh, Ollie Schniederjans will tee it up in his place.  

12. Korean Golf Club

The new look Korean Golf Club (formerly IronHeads GC), has a new captain, three new players and most importantly, new hope. Byeong Hun An should suit the course well as his driver is a weapon on a course that rewards big hitters. The rest of the team have question marks and will need some acclimation to the league, with the exception of Danny Lee who finished T33 here last season.  

13. Majesticks Golf Club

The Majesticks struggled for just about the entire 2025 season. The addition of Laurie Canter, who is expected to be the team’s best performer on the course, will certainly help matter. However, with their legendary Co-Captains Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood another year older, the team will be in “prove it” mode until further notice. For the first two events of 2026, Ben Schmidt, who finished T16 at last week's Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship will fill in for Westwood.