Which European name is about to join Martin Kaymer’s LIV Golf team?
Martin Kaymer confirmed to NCG that Kalle Samooja has joined Cleeks GC, but there is a fourth and final signing to be announced in the next few days…
More new faces are set to join LIV Golf as time ticks towards the start of the league’s second full season in Mexico.
Cleeks GC captain Martin Kaymer confirmed to NCG that Kalle Samooja was joining his side, leaving one more spot available.
The German said his fourth and final place will be taken by a European player and “there are a few names in the pot” to be considered before kick-off on February 2.
“I know him a little bit from the European Tour back in the day,” Kaymer said of Samooja, who won the Porsche European Open on the DP World Tour in 2022.
“But we have the same management and when I saw him a week ago when we had a photo shoot in Miami, we spent a bit of time together and he seemed to be a really nice guy, a really good player, solid guy.
“We’re still looking for the fourth which we will probably announce within the next few days.
“There are a few names in the pot, so we’ll see who will join the Cleeks, but we’re definitely going to have a good team and a good team environment, nice guys that I know well.
“It’s going to be a European team. From the get-go, that was the goal to have a European Cleeks team,” he added.
“That is the route that we want to go, but it’s tricky because so many things need to be considered, especially for the people who join, a lot less than we had to consider back in the day when we had the chance to join LIV.
“But there are still a lot of uncertainties for most of the guys and I would like to give them as much information as possible to make their decision as easy as possible.”
The two-time major winner Kaymer saw his former teammate Bernd Wiesberger head back to the DP World Tour at the end of 2023, having lost his LIV contract for finishing 41st in the individual year-long standings.
This left just Kaymer and Richard Bland as Graeme McDowell headed for Smash GC to play with Brooks Koepka, Jason Kokrak and now Talor Gooch.
And then there were two, until January 8 when the Cleeks seemed to let slip the signing of Samooja when a picture of a team photoshoot was put on Instagram. This was swiftly deleted.
With not long until LIV heads to Mayakoba for the season opener, there are currently three teams who are yet to fill all four spots in 2024.
Ripper GC has been linked with the signing of Lucas Herbert, another Australian player, and the Iron Heads captained by Kevin Na are also one man short.
There is also the small matter of Jon Rahm who is set to captain a brand new team which is rumoured to be named Legion XIII GC.
NOW READ: Who plays where? Keeping up with LIV Golf’s team reshuffle
NOW READ: LIV Golf schedule 2024: Every date and every venue
Which Martin Kaymer-LIV Golf teammate do you want to see ahead of the 2024 season? Tell us on X/Twitter!
Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
