Sports
20 Greatest Players Named and Ranked by AI
The LIV Golf league has dominated golfing headlines this week after reports suggested that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is preparing to pull its funding for the breakaway golf league.
Since its inception in 2022, the PIF has supported the new golf format with over $5bn in funding, as a way of enticing the best players to make the switch from the PGA Tour to LIV.
While some of the household names, like Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, have stayed loyal to the traditional format, LIV did manage to poach some of the biggest stars from the PGA Tour, with a roster including Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, and Tyrrell Hatton. However, the recent news would suggest that big-name signings alone don’t necessarily translate to a great influx in revenue.
Given the uncertainty surrounding the future of LIV Golf, and its participants for that matter, we tasked AI with ranking the top 20 LIV golfers.
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20 greatest LIV Golf players (20-11) |
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|---|---|
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Position |
Player |
|
20. |
Sergio Garcia |
|
19. |
Carlos Ortiz |
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18. |
Dean Burmester |
|
17. |
Branden Grace |
|
16. |
Paul Casey |
|
15. |
Peter Uihlein |
|
14. |
Thomas Pieters |
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13. |
Thomas Detry |
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12. |
Elvis Smylie |
|
11. |
Anthony Kim |
10
Abraham Ancer
The American-Mexican takes the first spot in the top 10 of our AI list. Ancer turned professional in 2013, although his inconsistency in his rookie year meant that his highest finish was a T-18 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. His one and only PGA Tour win came at the 2021 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational, taking out Sam Burns and Hideki Matsuyama on the second hole of the playoff.
Having made the switch to LIV in June 2022, Ancer has managed just one individual win on the tour, the 2024 LIV Golf Hong Kong, having also claimed a win in the team trophy in Bangkok.
When we asked why Ancer made it into the top 10, AI attributed his position to his consistency, frequently making the top 10 in competitions.
9
Talor Gooch
Born in Midwest City, Oklahoma, Gooch began his professional golf journey on the PGA Tour Canada in 2015 and 2016, his best finish being as runner-up at the 2015 Syncrude Boreal Open. Having secured his Tour card in 2017, the American had to wait four years for a taste of success, winning the RSM Classic in November 2021.
After making the switch to LIV, Gooch experienced major success in 2023, winning the Adelaide, Singapore, and Andalucia competitions, setting him up to win both the individual points list and the money list. Just two years later, Gooch reclaimed his crown at Valderama, winning LIV Golf Andalucia for a second time.
AI stated that the fact that he is one of LIV’s most consistent performers is why he takes ninth on the list.
8
Patrick Reed
The first Major winner in the top 10, Patrick Reed, takes eighth on our list. Turning professional aged 20, Reed has accumulated nine victories on the PGA Tour, including a record-breaking display at the 2014 Humana Challenge. The American scored rounds of 63-63-63, resulting in a PGA Tour record of 27-under-par. Reed’s triple-63 was also the first time in Tour history that a player opened a tournament with three rounds of 63 or better.
His one and only Major win came at the 2018 iteration of The Masters, beating Rickie Fowler by a single stroke. Similarly, he has only managed one win on the LIV circuit, a four-way playoff shootout against Paul Casey, Jinichiro Kozuma, and Louis Oosthuizen at LIV Golf Dallas. But his reliability and ability to deal with tough situations is what made AI award him eighth on the list.
7
Dustin Johnson
Level with the legendary Gary Player for PGA Tour wins, with 24, Johnson is a worthy admission to this list. The American has won two Majors across his 19 years as a professional, his first coming in the form of the 2016 US Open, with the second coming via his 2020 Masters triumph.
Despite only one of his three LIV Golf victories coming in 2022, that being his victory at the LIV Golf Invitational in Boston, Johnson did manage to top both the individual points and the money lists that year.
AI reckons that, although he may not be as strong as he once was, his track record suggests he still has the potential to be dangerous.
6
Brooks Koepka
The only former LIV golfer on this list, Koepka made the switch back to the PGA Tour in 2026, citing the need to “prioritise the needs of his family and staying closer to home” as his reasoning for abandoning the rebel league.
Koepka holds five Major championships to his name, three at the PGA Championship and two, back-to-back, US Open’s, his 2017 win matching Rory McIlroy’s 2011 record for the lowest score at the competition at 16-under. His dominance in Majors, and his victory at the 2018 CJ Cup, saw Koepka move to the number one spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Across his three-and-a-half year stint with LIV, the American managed five wins, two of which came at LIV Golf Jeddah. According to AI, his spot at sixth is justified by his ability to perform in big moments, as evidenced by his successes as Majors.
5
Tyrrell Hatton
Hatton is one of only two names in the top 10 who are not also in the top 10 for LIV Golf earnings, sat all the way down in 22nd as of the event in South Africa, with Abraham Ancer in 15th.
Hatton has 13 professional wins to his name, with his only PGA Tour victory coming at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2020. Similarly, Hatton has only managed one win during his time at LIV, his success at the 2024 Nashville event being his first victory in over three years.
Although he hasn’t had as much luck as he would’ve hoped for over recent years, AI cites his performance in this year’s installment of The Masters as the reason for his spot in fifth, having finished as the highest placed LIV golfer at the event in T3.
4
Cameron Smith
Having turned professional in 2013, Smith had to wait until 2017 for his first PGA Tour win, coming at the Zurich Classic in New Orleans, while partnered with Jonas Blixt, a feat he repeated in 2021 while partnered with fellow countryman Marc Leishman. He went on to win four other PGA Tour events, including The Players Championship in March 2022, and The Open Championship just four months later.
After leaving the PGA Tour for LIV in August 2022, Smith has won three LIV events, although it could’ve been more, with the Australian losing out in both of the playoffs that he has reached.
AI reasoned by saying that, while he may be slightly inconsistent, he is undoubtedly a world-class player, as evidenced by his Major victory at The Open.
3
Joaquin Niemann
Niemann made a name for himself during his time as an amateur, holding the number one spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 44 weeks from May 2017 until April 2018, when he turned professional. Having been awarded the 2017 Mark H. McCormack Medal for being the top-ranked amateur, the Mexican received entry to the 2018 editions of The Open Championship and the US Open, with his victory at the 2018 Latin America Amateur Championship providing him an invitation to the 2018 Masters.
Niemann has finished runner-up in the LIV Golf points list twice, firstly in 2024 and then again in the following year. Despite winning four more events than any other player in 2025, and eventual winner Jon Rahm not winning a single tournament, Niemann’s low finishes in the other LIV events meant he missed out on top spot.
According to AI, though, his frequent wins show that he is a consistent contender, with his elite ball-striking ability edging him into the top three on this list.
2
Bryson DeChambeau
Perhaps the most polarising golfer in recent history, whether you love him or you hate him, Bryson was always going to be near the top of this list.
Given his huge social media presence, driven mainly by his impressive YouTube following (which surpasses the PGA Tour’s subscriber count), DeChambeau has often been regarded as the poster-boy of LIV Golf. His unique, scientific approach to the game, and the monstrous drives he has put on display time-after-time, have been major factors in drawing eyes onto the LIV Golf league.
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His 16 professional victories include two US Open’s and five wins on the LIV circuit, two of which have come during his impressive start to the 2026 LIV season, with victories in Singapore and South Africa.
AI has stated that the multiple recent wins, alongside his huge ceiling, are what puts him in second position.
1
Jon Rahm
A two-time Major winner, it’s no surprise to see that AI has selected Jon Rahm for top spot.
Having been awarded an eye-watering $18,000,000 for topping the points list in 2024, he repeated his achievement in 2025 and received the same award as the year prior. Ironically, Rahm repeatedly stated that he was not a fan of the structure of the league before making the switch, appearing on the Golf Sin Etiquetas podcast in August 2023 and claiming: “I laugh when people rumour me with LIV Golf. I never liked the format.”
Jon Rahm Becomes First Big-Name Player to Break Silence on Future of LIV Golf
The Spaniard has spoken about the uncertain future of LIV Golf.
Although, we’re fairly sure that he has since changed his mind on the Saudi-backed project, given the success he has experienced.
Given that he has topped both the points and money list twice, AI claimed that Rahm is the ‘clear number one’ on this list.
A sporting director has just spoken out to confirm that he wants to sign a Liverpool star in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool are entering a new era after it was confirmed that Andoni Iraola has been appointed as their manager.
The hierarchy will likely look to back him in the transfer market, but the reality is that some players may have to leave the club after they spent significantly last summer.
Liverpool are already losing Ibrahima Konate, Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson this summer, with all three departing on free transfers.
As a result, the Merseyside club may need to fetch in transfer fees by selling some of their other stars in order to allow them to continue investing in the playing squad.
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Liverpool are preparing to enter a new era under Andoni Iraola.
Sporting Director Confirms Interest in Liverpool Star
Inter Milan’s sporting director Piero Ausilio has confirmed that the Italian club are interested in signing Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones in the summer transfer window.
Inter have been heavily linked with a move to sign Jones this summer, with suggestions of a swap deal even mentioned.
Jones has struggled to cement himself as a guaranteed starter for Liverpool, but it will be interesting to see whether he’s more suited to new manager Iraola.
Either way, it seems that a departure is possible in the coming weeks and months.
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Federico Chiesa Confirms Jones News
Speaking earlier this week, another Liverpool player, Federico Chiesa, has confirmed that Jones has been asking him about life in Italy.
That certainly has added more fuel to the fire that Jones could be heading to Inter Milan, with Chiesa even mentioning the Italian club.
“Jones just asked me what life is like in Italy. I told him it’s great and the weather is better than Liverpool, which aside from that is a special place.
“Jones is really strong technically, Inter are right to think about him.”
It’s rare that players speak out about potential exits for their teammates, but Chiesa himself has been linked with a departure heading into the summer transfer window.
Arguably, the biggest deal of the 2026 transfer window so far was Anthony Gordon joining Barcelona from Newcastle United. The Spanish giants forked up £69m for the Englishman, so pressure will be high on him right from the off.
One fascinating aspect of the move is that Gordon may well end up replacing Marcus Rashford, who spent last season on loan at Barca. Not only that, but the two left-wingers will be vying for the same spot on the flank for England this summer at the World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel has a big decision to make on that front and opted to give each winger 45 minutes to impress against New Zealand in a friendly this weekend. Gordon’s highlights have since emerged, sparking a strong reaction online.
Gordon and Rashford Get 45 Minutes Each vs New Zealand
Truth be told, it was a pretty dull encounter between England and the All Whites. The Three Lions came away with a win thanks to Harry Kane’s header, netted right before the break. This was the only goal of the game, which finished 1-0.
Rashford was in the starting XI alongside Kane and managed five key passes in his 45-minute cameo. He also completed 18/22 passes, with 37 touches, pulling off one dribble, losing the ball 11 times, and taking two shots, with none on target.
As for Gordon, he completed 21/22 passes, but none were key. He had one fewer touch (36) and completed as many dribbles (one), losing the ball seven times, while also taking two shots, but getting one on target.
There wasn’t much to seperate the pair, with Rashford given a 7.2 SofaScore rating, while Gordon was a little lower on 7.0. Highlighting just how big the scrutiny is when you become a Barcelona player, however, fans online have been quick to comment on his display.
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Not a good look ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Barcelona Fans Drop Clear Verdict on Gordon’s England Performance
Barcelona fans were clearly not impressed with the player. A two-minute compilation emerged on social media, as the former Newcastle man struggled to break down the New Zealand defence.
One concerned fan wrote: “We got scammed, wtf?!” Another said: “He was literally one of the worst finishers in the PL. It’s absolutely pathetic that we’ve spent €80m on someone this awful.”
Along that theme, someone else said: “Ewww man €75m for this???? This is like when City signed Grealish but 10x worse.”
Adding to the strong feeling, someone simply stated: “Rashford way better.” Another seemed worried by the highlights, adding: “I’m howling.”
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Even those with kinder takes weren’t exactly singing Gorfon’s praises. Somebody said: “Lamine being the only 1v1 specialist in the team irritates me. I’m not saying Gordon is bad, I’m just pointing out that without Lamine, no one can take on his man.”
Others were more defensive of the display, calling for more patience on the winger. One wrote: You guys should just relax and wait until he actually puts on the Barça shirt. That’s when the real evaluation starts.”
Another said: “This is why we don’t judge players on a friendly to warm up for the World Cup.”
Perhaps, damningly, one Barca fan even said: “He played better than I expected.”
Arsenal are reportedly ready to pay £100m to secure a new signing ahead of the summer transfer window.
Mikel Arteta’s side already know they have a squad capable of winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final, so any new additions this summer are only going to take them to the next level.
The Gunners can take risks with reinforcements, as Arteta would still likely be happy going into next season with the squad he currently has.
The next goal for the North London club will be to lift the Champions League, while they’ll also hope to dominate English football for years to come.
To do so, they may need to bring in some big-money signings.
Arsenal Ready to Pay £100m
According to a report from Italy, Arsenal are one of the sides showing an interest in signing Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Magpies are demanding in the region of £100 million to allow him to depart, a fee which Arsenal have no problem paying, especially as Mikel Arteta is believed to see him as the perfect signing.
Arsenal do face competition from other Premier League clubs for the signature of Tonali, so it could be a competitive race.
It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if Tonali, described as ‘elite’, was keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer transfer window, especially after they lifted the Premier League title.
The Italian midfielder will also be without European football if he stays with Newcastle after their disappointing season.
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Arsenal Could Beat PL Clubs This Summer
Arsenal are likely to be battling with the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea when it comes to new additions in the summer transfer window.
Thankfully for the Gunners, after their impressive 2025/26 season, there’s a strong chance that they are the most attractive prospect at the moment.
Mikel Arteta has also shown that he gives opportunities to young talents, so they could have their pick of players over the coming weeks and months.
The signing of Tonali, described as one of the best central midfielders in Europe, would certainly be an impressive start to the window.
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