LIV Golf Releases 2023 Team Names, Including Ripper and Rangegoats

The Saudi-backed league will have the same 12 team captains, but team names Niblicks GC and Punch GC have been retired.

Two of the team names for LIV Golf have been changed for the coming season, with the same 12 captains returning for 2023.

LIV Golf sent out a promotional video with the 12 captains, two of whom—Cam Smith and Bubba Watson—will be leading teams that have different names.

Smith’s team, comprised of Australian players, is now called Ripper GC. Watson’s team that includes Harold Varner is now called Rangegoats GC.

Two team names from last year, Niblicks GC and Punch GC, have been retired.

The full 48-player field has yet to be announced, thus not all of the four-man teams are official.

The LIV Golf League—which has transitioned from an invitational series of eight events in 2022 to a 14-tournament league this year—begins play Feb. 24 in Mexico.

The controversial circuit is banking on the team concept as its business model going forward.

The other captains are Dustin Johnson, 4 Aces; Martin Kaymer, Cleeks; Bryson DeChambeau, Crushers; Sergio Garcia, Fireballs; Phil Mickelson, Hy Flyers; Kevin Na, Iron Heads; Ian Poulter & Henrik Stenson, Majesticks; Brooks Koepka, Smash; Louis Oosthuizen, Stinger; Joaquin Niemann, Torque.