Bubba Watson Joins Asian Tour After LIV Relegation

Bubba Watson leads six LIV Golf players who are shifting their focus to the Asian Tour for this week’s International Series event at the Indonesian Masters. As a prominent figure in the lineup, Watson boasts an impressive record of 12 PGA Tour titles and two Masters victories. He decided to compete in Indonesia after a challenging 2024 LIV season during which he finished in the drop zone, leading to his relegation alongside four other players. The Vincent brothers, Kieran and Scott also made the switch to participate in the International Series alongside Watson.

Additionally, English golfer Richard Bland, who recently claimed victories at the Senior PGA Championship and Senior U.S. Open earlier this year will join the field. LIV reserve players Ben Campbell and John Catlin are also attending with Catlin aiming to secure a permanent position in the breakaway league by excelling in the International Series Order of Merit.

The International Series provides players a direct path to the LIV setup, promoting the top performer to the Saudi-funded circuit for the next season. For Watson, excelling on the Asian Tour will be crucial if he hopes to return to the LIV Golf league as a player. Initially, observers believed Watson as one of LIV’s 15 team captains would be exempt from relegation.

However, officials clarified at the end of the 2024 season that team captains do not escape relegation if they end up in the drop zone. Despite this setback, Bubba Watson has discovered a potential loophole to retain his position as a RangeGoats player for 2025. After his relegation in Chicago last month, he mentioned that he could present a business case to the league and his franchise as a team captain in hopes of preserving his playing spot.