LIV Golf UK Intro

After a torrid week of Major Championship golf in appalling Scottish weather last week at Royal Troon, let’s hope for some sunshine this week in England.

LIV UK has previously been played at The Centurion Club near London and this year moves north to the JCB Golf & Country Club in Staffordshire which was ranked inside the top-10 of Golf Monthly’s Most Exclusive Golf Club in the UK.

We’re set for an explosive week on a course that will suit attacking golfers.

Who will take the honors this week? Let’s find out.

JCB Golf & Country Club Top Five Finishers

The JCB Golf & Country Club Course Notes

• The course is a par 71 that plays to 7,243 yards

• It was designed by Robin Hiseman of European Golf Design

• It features many water hazards

• It is also notable for having many holes which big-hitters can attack

• The 17th hole is a par-3 played to an island green

• The European Senior Tour (aka Legends Tour) has played there the last two years

Contenders to Win the LIV Golf UK

Jon Rahm (+650) at bet365

In many ways, last week’s British Open was frustrating for the Spaniard Jon Rahm because, on three occasions, he got the bit between his teeth only to fail to maintain momentum. But his seventh-placed finish was comfortably his best Major performance of the year and a 12th top-10 finish in his last 14 starts. That’s how good he is: he’s measured by wins not top-10s.

Bet on Jon Rahm (+650) at bet365 

Tyrrell Hatton (+700) at bet365

The Englishman Tyrrell Hatton endured a poor week in the worst of the weather in last week’s British Open but, before then, he showed his best form of the year. He’s shot 65-64-65 to win LIV Nashville at the end of June and he opened July with third place at Valderrama in LIV Andalucia.

Bet on Tyrrell Hatton (+700) at bet365 

Joaquin Niemann (+900) at bet365

Yet again the Chilean Joaquin Niemann failed to land a first Major Championship top-10 finish last week but his second round of 71 was one of the finest of the week because it included an eight on the par-3 8th hole. In LIV Golf in 2024 he has landed two wins and another six top-10 finishes in 10 starts.

Bet on Joaquin Niemann (+900) at bet365 

DeChambeau to Put on a Show

The crowds are going to be big this week and they are also going to be loud.

Bryson DeChambeau will gain most of the attention and he will be the recipient of a lot of (loud) love.

There’s every chance that he will lap this up.

Don’t fret that he missed the cut in the British Open – he remains an average links golfer.

Take much more heed of his excellent form before then.

And take note of the course.

There are three par-5s above 600 yards. Few players will reach them in two but he has the distance to cut the doglegs and shave 50 to 100 yards off the hole distance.

There are also long par-4s he can reduce in distance with his length from the tee.

And two short par-4s he can attack with a big drive.

There’s no reason why he should not be joint favorite.

Snap up the +750 win price at Caesars Sportsbook.

DJ Can Spin a Tune

There is no doubt that Dustin Johnson did not kick on from a solid start last week when finishing 31st in the British Open.

It was the final poor effort in a Major Championship season that was a massive letdown.

But, at Troon, he insisted that he was playing a lot better than his results indicated and he ended the middle two rounds in the top-20, often sneaking into the top-10 during the rounds.

There was enough there to get on board this week not least because, as with DeChambeau, DJ has the length from the tee to take advantage of the course design.

And don’t forget: he is a LIV winner this year and has three LIV wins in 30 starts.

You can back him at +3300 each way with bet365 which pays five places.

Casey a Neat Fit

Englishman Paul Casey did not play in the British Open last week and might be a little less exhausted then those who had to fight the course and the terrible weather conditions.

He also has a very fine record on home soil with victories at Wentworth (twice), Gleneagles (twice), and the The Belfry.

He was a playoff loser earlier this season, has two top 10s in his last three starts and there is something else.

The course at the JCB G&CC was designed by the European Golf Design team and Casey has won on their designs at Carton House in Ireland and The Royal in Bahrain.

Back him to land another top 10 with bet365 offering +225 that includes ties.

How to Watch LIV Golf UK

• Tournament: LIV Golf UK

• Location: The JCB Country Club, Staffordshire, United Kingdom

• Date: FRIDAY JULY 26 – SUNDAY JULY 28

• How to watch: FRIDAY on the CW App. LIV Golf Plus and Caffeine. SATURDAY-SUNDAY on The CW Network, CW App, and LIV Golf Plus.