Report: LIV Golf star ‘splits from team’

Are we about to witness the first proper mid-season trade in the LIV Golf League?

According to reports, Matthew Wolff is no longer part of the Smash GC side captained by US PGA champion Brooks Koepka and is on the lookout for a new team to join.

Speculation over Wolff’s status has been steadily intensifying over the past 24 hours after it was noticed that his handle had been scrubbed from the bio of the Smash Twitter and Instagram accounts.

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Now, news of his departure from the roster appears to have been confirmed by US-based golf writer Dan Rapaport.

He tweeted: “Source says Matt Wolff is no longer a member of Smash and that he’s looking for a new LIV Golf team.

“Vibes were off and they didn’t mesh. He’s also injured but hoping to return in few weeks.”

A LIV Golf spokesperson declined to comment when approached by bunkered.co.uk.

Wolff withdrew injured ahead of the final round of the most recent LIV event in Washington last weekend. With no alternates left to choose from, Smash was forced to see out the tournament with just three players: Koepka, his brother Chase, and Jason Kokrak.

Wolff’s best finish on the league so far this season came in Orlando in April, where he wound up fifth – his only top-10 finish in seven events this year.

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The American joined Smash GC ahead of this season, having played for Phil Mickelson’s Hy Flyers in 2022.

It’s not yet clear how Smash intend to replace him. However, the most likely scenario is that they broker a trade with another team for one of their players.

After seven events of the 2023 season, Smash GC lies seventh on the overall team standings on 44 points. That’s 80 points behind runaway leaders and defending team champions 4Aces.

The next LIV tournament takes place at Valderrama Golf Club in Spain at the end of June

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor