After surviving relegation in 2024 thanks to a controversial captain’s exemption, Bubba Watson is now one of the strongest supporters of LIV Golf’s decision to eliminate such loopholes. As the breakaway league tightens its format in a bid for legitimacy and World Ranking inclusion, Watson believes tougher standards are key to its long-term growth.
A close call in 2024
At the end of the 2024 season, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson found himself staring down a premature end to his LIV Golf career. The RangeGoats GC captain finished 53rd in the standings—well outside the top 48 cutoff for automatic retention and deep inside LIV’s so-called “Relegation Zone.”
Normally, that would’ve meant being dropped from the roster and forced to re-qualify like any other underperformer. But Watson caught a break. Thanks to a then-active loophole that allowed captains to return for “business reasons,” the charismatic left-hander kept his spot without having to re-earn it on merit.
Fast forward to 2025, and the story looks very different. Through the first seven events of this season’s 13-tournament slate, Watson sits 29th in points and well above the relegation threshold. That improved form couldn’t have come at a better time: LIV Golf has closed the captain’s exemption rule, leaving no second chances moving forward.
And Watson? He’s all for it.
“This Is How the Game Grows”
“Look at any tour around the world—they have that, right? You lose your card [for poor play],” Watson said at a media event ahead of LIV Golf Indianapolis this August. “Even the Champions Tour has that. I think it’s great—we have to do that. We have to start setting a precedent to get new people in, new faces in. That’s how it’s gonna grow.”
Watson’s endorsement of the stricter format speaks to a growing maturity within the LIV Golf ecosystem. Once viewed as a safe haven for stars seeking guaranteed paydays and limited schedules, LIV is under increasing pressure to prove itself as a legitimate competitive circuit. For Watson, relegation isn’t just a mechanism to weed out underperformers—it’s a symbol of meritocracy. “The relegation is just to show that we are a true competition and people do get cut, just like any other sport,” he emphasized. “If we want to be taken seriously, we’ve got to play by serious rules.”
A play for World ranking recognition
There’s a strategic angle to all this. One of LIV Golf’s stated ambitions is to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, a goal that has proven elusive since its inception in 2022. The OWGR board rejected LIV’s application in late 2023, citing concerns about competitive integrity, player turnover, and pathways into and out of the league.
The new relegation structure directly addresses those issues. By eliminating automatic exemptions—even for team captains like Watson—LIV is trying to demonstrate that it has real stakes, clear pathways, and merit-based advancement, just like the PGA Tour or DP World Tour.
“For the world ranking part, I think the majors are showing that the world rankings need to be changed or modified because look at what we’ve done in the majors,” Watson noted, referring to the strong recent performances by LIV players.
Indeed, LIV’s elite have shown they can still hang with the best. At the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, Bryson DeChambeau finished T2, Joaquin Niemann and Jon Rahm both tied for 8th, and Rahm was leading deep into the final round before fading down the stretch. Those performances have raised questions about whether current OWGR metrics are adequately reflecting the competitive reality. Watson hopes LIV’s new structure will help close that gap.
The broader implications for LIV
Watson’s change in stance also mirrors a broader shift within the league itself. What began as a flashpoint for controversy and guaranteed contracts is increasingly transitioning into something more structured and competitive. While financial backing from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) continues to fuel operations, the league’s leadership seems intent on building long-term credibility. That means difficult decisions. Players once protected by name recognition or ownership roles are now on notice. The message from LIV is clear: perform or make way for someone who will. “I was lucky last year,” Watson admitted. “But if I didn’t play better this year, that should’ve been it. I get it. It’s only fair.”
This evolution could mark a critical turning point. By holding even its marquee names accountable, LIV is embracing the very principles it once challenged—competitive equality, earned status, and fan legitimacy.
Still a business, but a growing one
That said, LIV remains a business with unique challenges. Team-based golf is still in its early stages as a fan concept, and LIV’s limited 54-hole, no-cut format continues to draw skepticism in traditional golf circles. But players like Watson are now working from within to improve—not just to protect their own interests, but to build something sustainable. “I’ve played all over the world. I’ve won two Masters. But this is a new chapter,” Watson said. “It’s not just about me. It’s about building something that’s going to last. And you can’t do that if you let people coast. You’ve got to earn it.”
The irony isn’t lost on anyone: a player who once benefited from an exemption is now championing the end of exemptions. But that kind of evolution—from loophole to leadership—is precisely the kind of narrative LIV Golf hopes can help redefine its place in the sport.
As LIV approaches the second half of its 2025 season, all eyes will be on how the relegation model plays out in real time. Will big names fall? Will new talent rise? And will the changes be enough to finally sway the OWGR? Whatever happens next, Bubba Watson’s transformation—from captain saved by the rulebook to its most vocal reformer—is a sign that change is not only possible but necessary.
