Martin Kaymer's LIV Golf Team - Cleeks GC faces transition with 2 open spots following Bernd Wiesberger's departure
Cleeks GC team is one of those trying to make the most of the current free agency phase of LIV Golf. The team, captained by Martin Kaymer, finished 2023 in tenth place, with three of its four players outside the Top 40.
With the season over, Cleeks GC has a good chance of restructuring. Kaymer has already managed to re-sign the team's best player in 2023, Richard Bland, while keeping two spots available.
Both Graeme McDowell and Bernd Wiesberger ended their contracts with LIV Golf. They had the option to manage a new contract, either with Cleeks GC or another team, but Wisberger declined that possibility and his return to the DP World Tour has already been announced.
In the case of McDowell, there is still no information about his destination. However, the Englishman is one of many options that Martin Kaymer has, so it is not certain if Graeme McDowell will wear the colors of the Cleeks in 2024.
Currently, several well-ranked players are in free agency in 2023. Such is the case of Carlos Ortiz (15th), who decided not to return to the Fireballs GC, David Puig (31st), coming from Torque GC and Matt Jones (37th), former Ripper GC.
Ortiz finished 2023 with four Top 10s, including a second-place finish in Tucson. Puig, meanwhile, was included in two Top 10s, including a fourth-place finish at Greenbrier. Jones' best result was a seventh-place finish in Tucson.
Martin Kaymer can also look for "fresh blood" for his Cleeks GC by trying to sign any of the four players coming to the circuit through the International Series. The only one of the four names already known is International Series winner Louis Oosthuizen. The other three will emerge from the qualifying event to be held next December.
How was the 2023 season for Cleeks GC?
Cleeks GC's results were quite poor during the 2023 season. Only one of their four players had a remarkable performance, it was none other than Richard Bland, who finished 20th in the individual ranking.
The other three members finished outside the Top 40 in a roster that, in the end, was made up of 50 players (only 48 play in each event). Bernd Wiesberger and Graeme McDowell finished 41st and 42nd, respectively, while captain Martin Kaymer was second to last.
The team's best result during the season was finishing third at LIV Golf Jeddah. They accumulated only five Top 8s in 13 events (the Top 8 receives points for the team ranking).
Individually, the team members' best result was Richard Bland's third-place finish at LIV Golf Greenbrier. Bland also contributed to all of the team's individual Top 10s (3).
In the inaugural season of LIV Golf (2022), Richard Bland finished ranked 22nd, Graeme McDowell 34th, Bernd Wisberger 39th and Martin Kaymer 45th.