FIRST LOOK: LIV GOLF ORLANDO AT ORANGE COUNTY NATIONAL

ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT

• When: March 31-April 2, 2023

• Where: Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge, Winter Garden, Florida

• Competition: 54 holes of stroke play

• Field: 48 players/12 teams

• Purse: $25 million ($20 million individual, $5 million team)

• Winner’s Share: $4 million (individual), $3 million (team)

• Tee time: Shotgun start for Rds. 1-2 at 1:15 p.m. ET, Rd. 3 at 1 p.m. ET

KEY STORYLINES

The LIV Golf League plays its first regular-season event in Florida after ending the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series with the Miami Team Championship last year.

New LIV Golf member Danny Lee of Iron Heads GC comes off an individual win in Tucson, while Fireballs GC – captained by Sergio Garcia – won the team title.

Lee made a birdie putt from off the green on the third playoff hole to win the four-man playoff that also included Carlos Ortiz (Fireballs GC), Brendan Steele (HyFlyers GC) and Louis Oosthuizen (Stinger GC captain). It was the second individual playoff in LIV Golf history and first of this season.

Lee is the highest-ranked newcomer of the six players who joined LIV Golf prior to the start of the 2023 season. Four of the top 15 players in points after two events are first-year LIV members – Lee (3rd), Steele (5th), and Torque GC’s Mito Pereira (9th) and Sebastian Munoz (15th). The other new players are Stinger GC’s Dean Burmester (29th) and RangeGoats GC’s Thomas Pieters (41st).

Last year’s Team Champions, 4Aces GC captained by Dustin Johnson, have finished second in each of the first two events in 2023 and lead the team points standings.

Johnson and Steele competed in the 2007 Q School tournament at Orange County National, with Johnson securing his card with a T-14 finish.

Charles Howell III of Crushers GC tops the Individual Champion standings. Howell won the season-opening event at LIV Golf Mayakoba and finished fifth in points in Tucson.

Howell is one of four players who have finished in the top 10 in points in each of the first two events. The others are Ortiz (Fireballs GC), Peter Uihlein (4Aces GC) and Steele (HyFlyers GC).

Three players who played collegiately in the state of Florida are in the field: Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka (Florida State), Smash GC’s Chase Koepka (South Florida) and Majesticks GC’s Sam Horsfield (Florida).

After playing in LIV Golf Orlando, 18 players will tee it up at the Masters, the first major of 2023. Six of those players are past Masters champions – Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Charl Schwartzel.

ABOUT THE COURSE

ORANGE COUNTY NATIONAL (CROOKED CAT)
Par: 71. Yardage: 7,297

Highlights from the course website

• Crooked Cat features significant elevation changes, rolling fairways and large, contoured greens packaged with a links-style look

• Multiple options exist on the majority of holes, but wayward shots can end up in one of the many grass bunkers

• The final nine-hole stretch is a favorite of top golfers due to its length and challenge

• Orange County National features an unique circular driving range, considered the largest in the United States

• Putting surfaces: Champions Bermuda Ultra Dwarf Turf Grass

WEATHER

Forecast from weather.com

HOW TO WATCH

United States: The CW Network airs the LIV Golf League in 100% of U.S. markets.

• Friday: Live on The CW App and LIV Golf Plus

• Saturday and Sunday: Live on The CW Network, The CW App and LIV Golf Plus

Global: Broadcast in over 160 international territories Live and On-Demand, free of charge, via LIV Golf Plus. Available for download on iOS, Android, FireTV, and on LIVGolfPlus.com. Also airing on 12 international broadcast partners and counting.

In person: Tickets available here

More Info: Click here