Are Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood about to get relegated from LIV Golf?

Sam Horsfield could see his own LIV Golf teammates battling each other against relegation this month.

There are two regular-season events left for each member of the Majesticks to avoid finishing 49th or lower in the LIV standings, which would mean they are dumped from the league.

While the young Englishman has breathing room in 37th position ahead of this week’s Chicago event, Ian Poulter sits 51st, and Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson are peering perilously over the cliff edge in 46th and 47th.

“We have got along great these past three years. I’m sure that, whatever happens, we’ll all still be really, really close. We’ll just have to wait and see how it transpires over the next couple of weeks,” Horsfield told NCG.

“I want the boys to play well, and I want to play well. The number one focus is trying to get out of this hole that we’re in with the team being 12th, that’s just not good enough, simply. So get out of that hole and see if we can make any ground in Indianapolis.”

Earlier this week, James Corrigan of the Daily Telegraph reported that players can be relegated this season even if they are a captain. This is a significant tweak to LIV’s rules and addresses Bubba-gate of 2024.

RangeGoats captain Bubba Watson finished 53rd and deep into the drop zone last season, but was able to present ‘a business case’ to the league and keep his spot. Branden Grace was also offered a reprieve by Stinger in similar circumstances.

“As far as I’ve been told, and no matter if you’re a captain or not, you’re gone, which I like,” Horsfield said.

“That’s definitely the right thing to do. I know that there’s been some stuff recently – but as far as the players, we’ve been told if you finish below 48, you’re gone.”

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Sam Horsfield: ‘We need to get our sh*t together’

This adds a layer of intrigue to the end of the LIV Golf season as it could leave any of the Majesticks co-captains Poulter, Westwood and Stenson out in the cold, having also resigned their DP World Tour memberships after long careers and establishing themselves as European legends.

They could play in events on the formerly-named European Tour in future if they pay the astronomical fines they were given for competing in LIV.

The DP World Tour earned the right to issue financial sanctions on those who defected to play in conflicting LIV events after a hearing in London.

There is legitimate jeopardy when it comes to LIV’s relegation system in 2025, and it coincides with the circuit’s reapplication for Official World Golf Ranking points. Once rejected by the OWGR board in 2023, the league has decided to try again.

Asked about the prospect of playing with new teammates next season in case any of Poulter, Westwood or Stenson are relegated, Horsfield revealed that the Majesticks could look to recruit new talent.

“James Dunkley, who manages our team, is always looking out for young and up-and-coming English golfers and we’ve had a few conversations about what I would like to see, or what changes I would like to be made, if any,” he said.

“Who knows? Those guys might go out and finish first, second, and third this week, and it is completely different. It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks.

“I know that all of us want to play well, and we want to give ourselves the best chance for next year and see what comes about that.”

Horsfield, a three-time DP World Tour winner who left to join the Saudi-funded league in 2022, also isn’t certain where he will be playing his golf next year.

He is set to finish in the range between 25th and 48th in the LIV standings, which means you can be traded or released by your team. Circumstances are different from player to player based on their contract situations, which aren’t made readily public. Horsfield’s deal is up at the end of this season, and it is believed that his Majesticks teammates are too.

“I honestly have no idea, to be honest with you,” Horsfield said when asked if he anticipates staying put with the team in 2026.

“That’s up to the Majesticks. We’ve had some conversations about it, but you don’t know what’s going to happen until the end of the year.”

While relegation is a real threat to some of the biggest names, there is also a chance the Majesticks could miss out on competing in the match play portion of the season-ending Team Championship, being played at The Club at Chatham Hills in Detroit, Michigan.

Following a format change for 2025, the teams placed 12th and 13th in the team table after LIV’s Indianapolis event next week will face off on Wednesday, August 20, for the chance to progress to the main competition, which begins on August 22.

“As it stands, we would be playing the Iron Heads in a match on Wednesday to see who advances to the Friday,” Horsfield added.

“We need to, for lack of a better term, get our sh*t together and not have that happen. I think I played decently here last year. I seem to remember Ian played well here as well. Hopefully, we can lean into that and get us out of that 12^th or 13^th spot.”

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