LIV Golf is looking younger with the addition of new players, and as recently as Friday, Cleeks announced the signing of 24-year-old Dane Frederik Kjettrup, who is ranked in the top 10 in the Florida State University PGA Tour collegiate rankings.
Two weeks ago, the Ironheads signed 22-year-old Yubin Jang, a two-time champion and five-time runner-up who went on to become the 2024 Korean Tour Player of the Year.
“He's going to be the next best Korean golfer,” Ironhead team leader Kevin Na said. “That's how much I trust him. I told him that.”
They are the only two players to sign with the Saudi-backed league during the LIV Golf League's so-called free agency month. Taiwan's Max Lee also earned a spot by winning the promotion.
Caleb Surratt, a 19-year-old from Tennessee, was ranked No. 10 in the amateur ranks when he joined LIV earlier this year. He ranks 41st in the standings, with his best finish being a tie for 12th. He earned just over $2.7 million this year.
PGA Tour University was established to give college graduates a path to the PGA Tour. Kjetrup would have played on the Korn Ferry Tour and been exempt from entering the final stages of Q-School. Instead, he quit and joined LIV Golf.
Zhang also withdrew from the final stage of Q-school and joined LIV.
Since leaving Florida, Kjetrup has won three times on the PGA Tour of the Americas in Canada. He earned $137,419 in nine games. LIV Golf gave him the opportunity to play in a $20 million tournament, a 54-hole, no-cut tournament with a top prize of $4 million and a $50,000 bonus for last place.
LIV Golf is also affiliated with the Asian Tour, whose international series has a $2 million purse. But the Dane must pass qualifying for the U.S. Open and British Open, or lead on the Asian Tour, to be considered for the PGA Championship.
He qualified for the U.S. Open this year but failed to make the cut.
Cleeks captain Martin Kaymer told British website Bunkered he believed LIV Golf could enter the majors in the future.
“What I'm hearing from the league is that it's looking pretty good. Hopefully we can have some way of qualifying for the Grand Slam next year,” Kaymer said. “We're not sure that's going to happen. But he's OK with it.”
Kjettrup replaces Kalle Samooja, who was relegated from LIV after failing to finish in the top 44 of the 54-player league. No one else has announced a contract with LIV, whose roster must be finalized before the season starts in February.
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