Another golfer in the top 100 joins the LIV Golf Series†
Matthew Wolff is one of three new players joining LIV. He will be in the field for this week’s event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club outside of Portland, Oregon.
Wolff, 23, is joined at Pumpkin Ridge by former PGA Tour winner Carlos Ortiz and Oklahoma State junior Eugenio Chacarra, the world’s second-largest amateur.
Wolff turned pro after playing for two years at Oklahoma State, winning the 2019 NCAA Individual Championship and the 2018 Phil Mickelson Award as the nation’s top freshman.
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Wolff was part of the celebrated 2019 PGA Tour rookie class that included Collin Morikawa, Victor Hovland and Sungjae Im. Wolff got off to a fast start and won his third tournament as a professional, the 3M Open. He then rose to No. 12 in the world in October 2020, after finishing fourth in the PGA Championship and second in the US Open that summer.
But over the next four months he withdrew from two events before being disqualified from the 2021 Masters for sign an incorrect scorecard† Wolff then left for two months and later revealed mental health issues.
Wolff spoke about that difficult time when he returned last August.
“Some of the feelings I had were like getting up in the morning, knowing I had to get out of bed and I just couldn’t, like I didn’t want to get out of bed, I just wanted to stay in my bed and not standing in front of everyone and not screwing up in front of everyone,” he said.
“If you’re not feeling 100 percent well, whether it’s physical or mental, it’s an injury, and you should be able to rehabilitate and take the time to get to where you need to be.”
Wolff’s best finish in 16 starts this season is second place at the Shriners Children’s Open in October. He has two top 10s. He is number 77 in the world ranking. He has earned $7.6 million in prize money in his career.
Ortiz, 31, is from Mexico and lives in Dallas. His first season on the PGA Tour was 2019 with his only win at the 2020 Houston Open. Ortiz has 11 top 10 finishes in 160 tour starts, winning $7.75 million. He is number 119 in the world.
Ortiz joins compatriot Abraham Ancer in the LIV series. Ancer is number 22.
Top amateur golfer also shoots for LIV
Chacarra, of Spain, lost in a playoff for the NCAA individual title to Vanderbilt’s Gordon Sargent last month.
“My position is that of a player who is not a member of the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour, and I didn’t make any money while I was an amateur, so I can play in this league without any problems,” Chacarra told Spain. newspaper, Marc. “This contract gives me peace of mind and ensures the future of my family. As an amateur I had already achieved everything and now I can gain experience as a professional.”
This week’s LIV event, the second and first of the breakaway tour in the US, will feature 20 of the top 100 players in the World Golf Rankings, including Jupiter residents Dustin Johnson (No. 17) and Brooks Koepka (No. 19).
Tom D’Angelo is a journalist at the Palm Beach Post† You can reach him at [email protected]†
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Matthew Wolff among three other golfers competing in LIV Golf Series