Despite finding playing opportunities limited beyond the confines of their 14-tournament League, a healthy number of titles elsewhere were won by LIV Golf players in 2023.
From relatively obscure events to one of the biggest of them all, 10 titles in eight countries were claimed by LIV Golf players outside the big-money events from their main circuit. Here are the stories of who claimed the victories, and how they did it.
Abraham Ancer: Saudi International
- 2-5 February
The first to taste victory beyond LIV Golf in the year was Abraham Ancer, and he achieved it before the inaugural League season even began.
Like many LIV Golf players, Ancer was named in the field for February’s PIF Saudi International, and the manner of his eventual victory would have been particularly sweet given that he held off the challenge of one of the PGA Tour’s rising stars, Cameron Young to claim the $1m prize.
Following his win, Ancer said: “I just hit the ball really well. Mentally, I was in a really good spot. I felt like I made very little mistakes and, whenever I missed a shot, I was in a good spot to get up and down from.”
Carlos Ortiz: V Copa Prissa
- 3-5 March
After the Gira De Golf Professional Mexicana was granted world ranking status at the beginning of the year, it wasn't long before Ortiz competed at one of its events in his homeland.
His decision proved inspired, too, as he claimed a two-shot win at the V Copa Prissa over Isidro Benitez to secure 1.8 world ranking points and move 11 places up the list, from 275th to 264th.
Despite his victory, though, it still left Ortiz well below his world ranking when he joined LIV Golf, 119th, and even further off his career high of World No.44.
Brooks Koepka: PGA Championship
- 18-21 May
For large parts of April’s Masters, it had appeared as though Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka would claim his fifth Major title with a first Green Jacket. As he later admitted, though, he “choked away” his chance during the final round, leaving Jon Rahm to close out victory.
However, Koepka didn’t need to wait long to add another Major to his list, with a two-shot win over nearest challengers Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler at Oak Hill the following month.
Koepka’s third PGA Championship title wasn’t the only time he would taste victory in 2023. He also won twice on the LIV Golf League, but it's doubtful either of those wins brought the same level of celebrations, which included taking the Wanamaker Trophy to a Florida Panthers game.
Eugenio Chacarra: St Andrews Bay Championship
- 24-27 August
When Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra teed it up at the Asian Tour event, he surely had no idea of what he had let himself in for.
After four gruelling rounds at Fairmont St Andrews, he found himself neck-and-neck with fellow LIV Golf player Matt Jones. A total of 10 playoff holes later, and Chacarra finally closed out victory.
“It was a long day,” said Chacarra after the event, who added to his LIV Golf Bangkok title from the previous October. That was probably an understatement given it was the longest playoff in Asian Tour history.
David Puig: International Series Singapore
- 5-8 October
Another Spanish LIV Golf player to triumph at an Asian Tour event was David Puig. He was commanding throughout and could even afford a one-over 73 in the final round to win by five shots.
The victory at Tanah Merah Country Club earned him $360,000 of the $2m purse. Afterwards, he had praise for his LIV Golf team. He said: “I want to say thanks to my team, the Torque team, they have always been very helpful to me, and I learned a lot from them.”
However, his days with the team were numbered. In December, he moved to Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC, with Carlos Ortiz heading the other way.
Dean Burmester: Joburg Open and Investec South African Open Championship
- Dean Burmester - 23-26 November and 30 November-3 December
South African Dean Burmester had nine professional wins before joining LIV Golf, but victory in the Joburg Open was his first since signing for the circuit.
The Stinger GC player got over the line by three shots ahead of Darren Fichardt, helped by a brilliant second round of 62.
As well as around $190,000 in prize money and precious world ranking points, the win also handed Burmester a valuable slot at the 2024 Open. It also marked the start of an impressive run of LIV Golf players winning DP World Tour events.
A week later, Burmester was at it again, this time at the Investec South African Open Championship after finishing three shots ahead of Renato Paratore.
The win was all the more remarkable as Burmester had been in serious danger of missing the cut at one point, not helped by the fact he was suffering from a virus at the time.
After the win, he said: "Back-to-back! I've never done that before so that was special. It's obviously one as a South African that I've always wanted to win. The second-oldest Open, there's only one more that's older than that which I just happened to get into last week. Who knows what happens next.”
Joaquin Niemann: ISPS Handa Australian Open
- 30 November-3 December
A week after Burmester’s first success, it was Niemann’s turn to claim victory on the DP World Tour, this time in a playoff over Rikuya Hoshino.
For much of the final round, Niemann hadn’t appeared in contention, although he rallied from four shots back to set the clubhouse lead before eventually earning victory at the second extra hole.
Like Burmester the week before, Niemann also guaranteed his place at Royal Troon for next year’s Open thanks to his win.
Louis Oosthuizen: Alfred Dunhill Championship And AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open
- 7-11 December and 14-17 December
Louis Oosthuizen won his first title in five years at the Alfred Dunhill Championship as LIV golfers continued their DP World Tour dominance.
The South African holed a 20-footer for par on the par-5 18th to confirm victory at the expense of compatriot and fellow LIV Golf player Charl Schwartzel. He had to wait for it, though, as the tournament went into a fifth day after being forced to a Monday finish following the threat of lightning on the Sunday.
“I feel very calm now,” said Oosthuizen afterwards. “I can't believe we got a fourth round in with everything we got. It’s such a great place to come to. This is a tournament that I really, really wanted.”
Not done there, Oosthuizen claimed his 11th DP World Tour win at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open the week after, with a two-shot win over Laurie Canter on a course he co-designed.
Afterwards, he explained that had made the victory even more special. "I'm glad I could pull this off this week." he said. "It's sort of a dream come true being able to play a tournament on a golf course you helped design and end up winning it."
LIV has already begun recruiting players for 2024, and there’s every chance more victories beyond its tournaments will follow for its players.
By far the highest-profile player to join in the off-season is Jon Rahm, who won four times in 2023, at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express, Genesis Invitational and The Masters, while another player on the 2024 books, Andy Ogletree, won the International Series Qatar and International Series England on the Asian Tour.
Another player joining LIV Golf is Kieran Vincent, who reached it via the LIV Golf Promotions event, and he heads into 2024 after victory at the International Series Vietnam.
