Rising star rejects LIV Golf deal

One of the DP World Tour’s promising young talents has rejected an offer to join the LIV Golf League.

According to Spanish outlet Ten Golf, Ángel Ayora has declined a two-year contract offer to join the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit in 2025.

The 20-year-old Spaniard graduated to the DP World Tour after an impressive season on the Challenge Tour last season and is already being tipped for big things.

It is understood that Ayora was offered a deal to join Martin Kaymer’s Cleeks GC and fill the void left by the relegated Kale Samooja.

There is one spot left on the Cleeks roster to join Kaymer, Richard Bland and Adrian Meronk. But, despite some consideration, Ayora appears to have decided that the LIV start-up is not for him.

It wouldn’t be the first time LIV have failed to secure the signing of a rising European, after Ludvig Aberg turned the league down due to a “number of red flags”

“I will never chase money; what I do is compete,” Aberg said last December. “I did the right thing.”

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Like Aberg, it should come as little surprise that LIV have attempted to acquire Ayora’s services.

As well its pursuit of big-hitting headliners, LIV’s 13 team franchises are also keen on promoting future talent and the youngster certainly fits into that latter category.

Managed by Seve Ballesteros’ son Javier, Ayora only turned professional last year but he has already been making his mark in the paid ranks. He is just two weeks into his career as a full card holder on the DP World Tour, but finished sixth at the BMW PGA Australian Championship and T23 at the ISPS Handa Championship.

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That accomplished start came after making a cut on his PGA Tour debut at the Puerto Rico Open and a victory on the Challenge Tour in Poland.

News of Ayora’s rejection comes after Kaymer revealed he wanted to make a signing that suited the “philosophy” of his low-key Cleeks outfit.

“You know, I don’t really have a loud team, I don’t have an [active] social media team,” the former world No.1 said at the Hong Kong Open. “It has to be a person who is similar to how you approach the game of golf.

“And for me, it was always important that we try to shine through good golf and not through something else, and that is what we’re looking for.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.