2024 Season in Review: Cleeks GC

Oct 7, 2024 - 3:03 PMWritten by: Mike McAllister

Cleeks GC lived up to its “sleeper team” status in 2024 and won its first team trophy in Houston

Second in a series of stories reviewing the 2024 season for each of the 13 LIV Golf League teams.

CLEEKS QUICK REVIEW

TEAM

Fueled by the addition of Adrian Meronk and the steady play of Richard Bland, the Cleeks lived up to their “sleeper team” status in 2024, winning their first team trophy in Houston.

PLAYERS (final points ranking)

Adrian Meronk (17): His solo second in Houston is the best individual result in Cleeks history, and his first-half efforts after joining LIV Golf just before the season proved his world-class skills.

Richard Bland (19): The 51-year-old Englishman just keeps ticking, finishing in the Lock Zone for the third consecutive season. Oh, and he won back-to-back senior major championships.

Martin Kaymer (40): Improved health allowed the captain to play every round, and his top-10 individual finish in Houston was vital for the team victory. Turns 40 in December, so plenty of golf left for the two-time major winner.

Kalle Samooja (49): Relegated after finishing in the Drop Zone, so he may need another big performance at LIV Golf Promotions to return to the league next season.

TEAM OVERVIEW

Wins: 0 Podiums: 1 Points Finishes: 6 Seed: 8th Team Championship: 11th

COUNTING SCORES (league ranking)

Round 1: 87 under (6th) Round 2: 86 under (7th) Round 3: 43 under (10th) Total: 216 under (8th)

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Won first trophy of any kind with team victory at LIV Golf Houston
  • Meronk finished as team’s highest points earner (17th in standings) in first year on LIV Golf
  • Bland also finished in Lock Zone (19th) for third consecutive season
  • Meronk’s 2nd place in Houston is team’s all-time best individual result
  • Kaymer’s T9 in Houston is his best individual LIV Golf result
  • Beyond LIV, Bland won two senior major titles – Senior PGA Championship and U.S. Senior Open
  • Samooja produced the sixth ace in LIV Golf history during the final round in Hong Kong

TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Quarterfinals: Lost to Stinger 3-0. Meronk lost to Grace in 19 holes, Samooja lost to Burmester 4 & 3, Kaymer-Bland lost to Oosthuizen-Schwartzel 4 & 2.

Finals (Tier 3): 11th at 1 under. Kaymer 70, Bland 70, Samooja 71, Meronk 76.

REGULAR-SEASON RESULTS

EVENTTEAMKaymerMeronkBlandSamooja
Mayakoba8T2847T11T32
Las VegasT9T51T9T15T26
Jeddah1145T6T31T46
Hong Kong5T21T15T8T41
Miami9T39T17T14T39
AdelaideT7T14T26T22T40
SingaporeT2T19T10T22T14
Houston1T92T24T32
NashvilleT6T42T32T9T50
AndalucíaT6T14T42T14T27
UK1149T16T14T34
Greenbrier12T42T42T453
Chicago7T34T23T15T15

LEAGUE RANKINGS

STATISTICTEAMKaymerMeronkBlandSamooja
Fwy HitT8T21378T38
Drive Dist.1153144733
GIR7T43215T35
Scrambling1136331649
Putting Avg.6T29162545
Birdies Avg.6T3619T10T30