LIV Golf’s latest signing causes controversy as many fans slam ‘garbage’ move which ‘shouldn’t be allowed’

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The new LIV Golf season is a month away and the remaining spots in the league are starting to fill up, as the league prepares to start its fourth campaign.

It has been a different kind of off-season for LIV Golf. Heading into 2024, LIV sent shockwaves through the sport by landing Jon Rahm, while Tyrrell Hatton followed him shortly after.

This year however, has been much quieter. Frederik Kjettrup has joined Cleeks, while Yubin Jang has signed for Iron Heads. Elsewhere, Legion XIII appear to be closing in on Tom McKibbin. It would be quite a coup given that McKibbin secured a PGA Tour card towards the end of 2024.

But the latest confirmed signing has caused a bit of a stir on social media.

Fans baffled as Stinger announce Branden Grace signing ahead of LIV Golf season

LIV Golf has attempted to create real drama through the relegation zone over the years. The difference between the open zone and relegation zone is that players in the open zone could move but also have the option to stay with their current teams.

However, those in the relegation zone had to earn their way back into the league – or so it seemed.

Stinger GC have announced that Branden Grace has re-signed for 2025 despite being relegated in 2024. Unsurprisingly, the news has baffled many.

One fan said: ‘why even bother having standings when this is obviously just a series of 13 bro golf weekends?‘ Meanwhile, another wrote: ‘What is the point of the drop zone then? Only the best or new and hungry talent should be rewarded.‘

Certainly, there are further complaints about what Grace has done to keep his place, with one person posting: ‘Sounds a whole lot like the good ole boys club‘. Golf writer Ben Coley also hit out at the process which LIV claims to have in place.

Some have defended the decision, with one fan saying: ‘In all honesty he had a bad season overall but is a much better golfer than how he performed. Good on their part to realize he shouldn’t be relegated‘.

But even some of LIV’s fans are having a difficult time justifying the move, with another saying: ‘Love LIV, but this is dumb…‘

And the statement which perhaps best summed up the fans’ feeling stated: ‘Garbage imo. Makes relegation pointless. Shouldn’t be allowed to sign a relegated player. Bad look for LIV‘.

Why Branden Grace is perhaps LIV Golf’s most damaging signing

Keeping Grace makes a lot of sense for Stinger, and he is clearly a significantly better player than he showed in 2024 as he ended up finishing 51st in the LIV standings. However, this is perhaps a move which does more to damage LIV’s credibility than almost any other.

Certainly, there are no shortage of South African players Stinger could have potentially picked from if they were determined to keep that aspect of their team.

Relegation is such a crucial selling point to LIV. And people were genuinely interested in Chicago to see who would end up in the bottom five spots. Obviously, it was already contentious that someone like Bubba Watson could escape relegation on the basis of being a captain.

But Grace was not Stinger’s captain. Nor has he qualified for the league again. So it is nearly impossible to argue that there is any difference between the open zone and the relegation zone.

They will certainly pay the price later this year when they try and big up the drama of relegation and people simply do not care.

One of the biggest pluses LIV Golf had can now be taken away – and they have no-one to blame but themselves.