It’s back to reality for one axed LIV Golf player.
One of the players axed from the LIV Golf roster has confirmed he will now return to qualifying school in a bid to the DP World Tour. Along with the likes of Bubba Watson, Kim Samooja was relegated from the Saudi-backed tour this season, after struggling to 49th place in the individual standings.
The 36-year-old managed just two top-20 finishes in 13 rebel tournaments.
His best result came at LIV Singapore, where he was tied for 14th, and the Finnish player ended the campaign by coming 15th in LIV Chicago.
Samooja was also part of Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC team which finished eighth overall. But he still made more than £1.6million for his displays before being released.
He has now been entered into the final stage of qualifying to win a card for the European circuit in 2025. He’s among 155 players to be taking part in the tournament in Tarragona, Spain, that gets underway today (Friday).
The gruelling six-round process concludes next Wednesday, November 13. And Samooja has teed off alongside Italian player Lorenzo Scalise and American Nick Carlson.
A number of high-profile names are also in the field. European Ryder Cup vice-captain Edoardo Molinari is one star attraction, while the likes of Eddie Pepperell, Tom Lewis, Chris Wood and Matthew Southgate are also involved.
Overall, 20 cards will be on offer. And the tournament currently takes on extra significance, with the DP World Tour set to benefit next season from the proposed merger between the organisation, LIV Golf, and the PGA Tour.
Should all parties reach an agreement, more prize money is set to be made available to the status quo. However, it remains to be seen if players who did jump ship to LIV will still be liable for sanctions.
Prior to joining LIV, Samooja has just one DP World Tour win to his name. That came in June 2022 when he prevailed at the Porsche European Open, dramatically shooting a final round of 64.
He qualified for the LIV Tour via their promotions event in December last year, finishing top of the standing after final rounds of 65 and 71. But despite making appearances in three of golf’s four majors, he’s yet to make the cut in the PGA Championship, US Open, or British Open.
