TOP OF THE STANDINGS: Who are the runners and riders vying for the $18million LIV Golf jackpot?

Photo by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via Getty Images

Forty-eight world-class players preparing to tee off at the $25million LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok will have plenty to play for this week when they line up at the all-new Stonehill venue 7-9 October.

With just two regular season tournaments remaining for the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series, the world’s best are jostling for position in the individual standings, where a $30 million purse will be shared among the top three podium places at the end of the campaign. This year’s champion in the final individual standings after the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah will receive a first-place prize of $18 million, with $8 million to the runner-up and $4 million for third place.

In the individual standings, where points are awarded to the top 24 finishers within each tournament’s 48-player field, 2016 U.S. Open and 2020 Masters champion Dustin Johnson leads the pack with 118 points. The American holds a healthy 39-point lead over his nearest challenger thanks to a win in Boston, top-three finishes in Bedminster and Chicago and consistent play throughout five events in which he has never finished outside the top 10. South African Branden Grace (79) is in second place with a victory in Portland and is trailed by 2022 Open winner Cameron Smith (56). The Australian currently holds third place after notable performances in just two events: a fourth-place finish in his LIV Golf debut in Boston, followed by a three-stroke win in Chicago, the largest margin of victory for any LIV Golf individual champion his season.

With 40 points awarded for a tournament win and 30 for runner-up, the door is still open for those outside the top 10. Major winners Sergio Garcia (43) and Henrik Stenson (40), top Chilean golfer Joaquin Niemann (40), former world No. 1 Lee Westwood (36) and 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau (23) are among the notable names still in the hunt with two big weeks ahead.

Greg Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf, said: “In our inaugural year with the Invitational Series, LIV Golf is already making waves among golf fans globally. Innovation creates energy that will further grow the sport into the future, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement.

“Our world-class players and new team format are generating a thrilling conclusion to this first year, and I’m eager to watch the action unfold in our final three tournaments of 2022.”

What happens if it’s a tie at the top?

In the case of ties, rankings are decided by a set of tiebreakers in the following order: 1) Best finish in an event, 2) 2nd best finish in an event, 3) 3rd best finish in an event, and so on (4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th best finish)