Bubba Watson raked in a cool $2.4 million on the LIV Golf circuit in 2024 despite ending the campaign as one of the players inside the Saudi-backed league’s drop zone.
It was a season to forget for two-time Masters champion Watson, as the RangeGoats captain failed to find the form that made him one of the PGA Tour’s biggest names during his prime. The American ended his campaign with a tied-42nd finish at the final regular season event at LIV Chicago last month.
This ensured he finished 53rd in the year-long standings, proving enough to relegate the 45-year-old alongside Scott Vincent, Kieran Vincent, Branden Grace and Kalle Samooja.
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His best finish of the year came in his second event way back in February when the breakaway league headed to Las Vegas for the first time. Watson ended the 54-hole tournament – won by his former Ryder Cup teammate, Dustin Johnson – in tied-15th, earning him $267,500 for his efforts.
This was the biggest contribution to his $2.4 million yearly total, an amount not to be sneered at considering Watson’s struggles for form. It was initially thought that Watson would be exempt from relegation as one of LIV’s 15 captains, but the breakaway league altered their rules for 2025, ensuring the green jacket winner was dumped.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for Watson, though, who revealed after his relegation that he is able to put a business proposal to his RangeGoats team as captain to allow him to return as a player in 2025. “It’s been a tough year,” Watson claimed in Chicago.
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Bubba Watson was relegated last month (
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“But I think my teammates want me back and I’d like to be back. I know some discussions need to take place and there are some business considerations. We have one of the most popular teams. Am I part of that? I think I am and I’m committed to playing better.”
It is widely expected that Watson will be welcomed back, but LIV Golf confirmed to Mirror Sports this week that no official decision is yet to be made. The 44-year-old’s tough run since joining LIV has been no secret, with Watson claiming last August that he would be willing to walk away from playing if it was in the interest of his teammates.
“I told my team if they don’t think I am good enough to play, they can kick me out and we will put another good golfer in my place,” he said at the time. “They are all trying to be better and also better at golf. I get to influence three golfers in life, they are all parents and young dads. I want to be there for them and if they have a problem, I want to be able to help them.”
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