A whole host of LIV Golf stars have opted to venture away from the breakaway league this week, teeing it up on the Asian Tour in the International Series England event in Surrey.
The tournament will give those in action the chance to earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, with LIV continuing to host events without OWGR accreditation. In total 11 LIV stars will compete for the title on offer at Foxhills Golf and Country Club, as the Tour's International Series makes its stop in England.
LIV Golf Stars Seeking OWGR Points
In his first two starts on the senior major stage, Bland banked back-to-back victories, first coming at the Senior PGA Championship in May, before the Senior US Open one month later. On the entry list Bland is labelled as a 'tournament invite' alongside fellow LIV star and former European Ryder Cupper Thomas Pieters.
American duo Jason Kokrak and Peter Uihlein will also compete in Surrey, having seen their names drift out of the top-500 in the world since leaving the PGA Tour. Both Anirban Lahiri and Brendan Grace are also in the field, earning exemptions as former Presidents Cup players.
The same can be said for Kalle Samooja and Kieran Vincent, who both earned a spot on the LIV roster via the breakaway league's first ever promotions event in Abu Dhabi last December.
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A former PGA Tour star in Harold Varner III, who may well be planning ahead having seen his name drift towards LIV's drop zone with only two regular season events left to play, will also compete in Surrey. Caleb Surratt and Scott Vincent - who have both featured on the International Series this year - will also compete.
Catlin Aims To Maintain Hot Form
Whilst not officially a LIV player, the Series' Order of Merit leader John Catlin will also look to continue his hot form this week. The American has impressed during his Asian Tour venture this season, and this has earned him a temporary role on Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers team in place of the injured Charles Howell III in recent months.
Catlin currently leads the way on the Series, with the player sat in top spot at the end of the campaign earning full playing rights on the LIV setup for 2025. The man who was set to headline the event was Ryder Cup stalwart Ian Poutler, but the Englishman was forced to withdraw earlier this week.
Poulter Forced To Withdraw
Posting to his social media followers on Monday, Poulter revealed an ankle injury required him to rest this week, ahead of LIV's trip to Greenbrier right around the corner. "Unfortunately, I've been forced to withdraw from this week's International Series event at Foxhills Country Club," he wrote.
"An ankle injury I had earlier in the season has reappeared and after consultation with my team, I've been advised on resting it in order to reduce the inflammation. There is nothing better than playing in front of home fans and I'm gutted to miss out on another opportunity after a fantastic week at LIV Golf UK.
Planning to still attend this weekend, he added: "I plan on being at Foxhills on Saturday to support the event and hopefully will have a chance to meet some of you there. I wish all the competitors in the field, staff, volunteers and stakeholders a great week."
The Race For OWGR Points Heats Up
The International Series England event is an important opportunity for LIV Golf players to earn OWGR points and improve their ranking. This event will see some of the biggest names in golf battle it out for a chance to climb the rankings and secure a place in the world's top players. It remains to be seen how the LIV players will perform in this event, but it is clear that they are eager to prove their worth on the world stage. The International Series England is a significant event in the world of golf and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the coming days.
