In a gripping 36-hole showdown on Sunday in Abu Dhabi, the remaining 20 players battled it out for one of three coveted spots on the LIV Golf League in 2024.

Kalle Samooja (Finland) clinched victory, concluding the day at eight under par with impressive rounds of 65 and 71 in Sunday’s marathon finish. This triumph marked a historic moment as Samooja became the first Finnish player to secure a place on the league.

After his remarkable day of golf, Samooja shared, “It means a lot. That’s why we’re all here. We all knew there are three spots available, three cards, and everyone was after those cards. My only mission was to make it to Sunday and then give it all I have, and we’re standing here.”

Reflecting on the impact of this achievement and its significance in his native Finland, Samooja remarked, “It’s going to be massive, I think. Golf is booming back home in Finland. We have guys, one guy on PGA TOUR, European Tour (DP World Tour), now LIV Golf, so it’s going to be massive for Finnish golf.”

The pursuit of the remaining two spots on LIV Golf transformed into an intense battle as three players finished Sunday’s 36-hole contest tied at seven under par. This deadlock led to a playoff to determine the two qualifiers for the league between Jinichiro Kozuma, Kieran Vincent and Laurie Canter.

After two playoff holes, conducted under the recently installed floodlights on Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s 18th hole, Japanese player Kozuma and Zimbabwean Vincent emerged victorious. It was heartbreak for Canter, who missed out on his guaranteed place in the LIV Golf roster in 2024 after a three-putt on the first playoff hole and a double bogey on the second hole handed the remaining two spots to Kozuma and Vincent.

Jinichiro Kozuma, the sole Japanese player in the LIV Golf League in 2024, expressed his elation saying, “Last year when I played in a spot in LIV Golf, I said that I wanted to come back again for sure, and to be real now, it’s like a dream. I was in good shape with my golf, so I knew that I had a chance to make it if I made good three rounds. But it’s just a dream come true. I didn’t try to be in the best three, but I made it.”

Kieran Vincent, forming the only brother duo on the LIV Golf league in 2024 alongside his brother Scott Vincent of the IronHeads GC, shared his excitement. “I think it’s awesome. Obviously, he’s a great player and someone I’ve looked up to for pretty much my whole life. To be playing alongside him again is going to be awesome, but just to learn from the rest of the guys I think is something I’m looking forward to the most.”

Reflecting on the week’s events, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman summarised the intense competition and historic moments. “What we witnessed today, and the last three days is something very unique and special to the game of golf, one that I’m extremely proud of and one my entire team on LIV Golf Worldwide is extremely proud of.”

The LIV Golf League is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission is centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential.

Main Image: LIV Golf