It’s August, and every shot now feels like make-or-break for LIV Golf players scrambling for points. With the 2025 Individual Championship just a week away, relegation fears are running high at LIV Golf Chicago. Only two events remain to secure crucial standings, and the pressure is especially intense for those on the bubble—where every swing could determine their future. For HyFlyers GC captain Phil Mickelson, that pressure is personal, particularly when it comes to teammate Andy Ogletree.

But it’s mostly for his fellow team member, Andy Ogletree, the pro who first attracted attention at LIV Golf’s 2022 London event before earning a full-time spot with HyFlyers GC in 2024. That was a different time. Now, it’s a different situation. Much different. And Phil Mickelson is well aware of that. “It’s [round 3 in Chicago] a big day for us. We’re all kind of feeling it,” begins Lefty.

“Like, D [Ogletree] wrist is bothering him… he needs some points to stay out of relegation. The pressure of your entire year is on line, and I’m more concerned for D right now than anything,” Mickelson says. But he still believes the team is playing well, so “It’s really disappointing to see have to fight with an injury. He’s been dealing so long, and his game is finally coming around. And to be injured.” Mickelson shakes his head in disappointment.

As Mickelson pointed out, there are plenty of reasons to be worried about Ogletree. With only 4.93 points and no top-10 finishes, momentum’s been hard to come by. And his best results, T20 in Hong Kong, T17 in Korea, and a T18 in the UK, have barely kept him in the mix.

Then, there are bigger concerns. A nagging wrist injury messed up his debut season, leading to surgery in October 2024 to remove a calcified bone spur. Now, Ogletree’s sitting 48th in the standings, making him a target for guys below him. Still, it’s not all hopeless. Ogletree showed some toughness in England with a T18 finish, getting points for the first time since LIV Golf Korea in early May. So, a strong finish this week could help him stay safe in the bubble.

Ogletree’s situation becomes all the more personal for Mickelson due to its reliability. Lefty himself was staring down the relegation zone last year.

But what happens if he doesn’t make it? Players who end up 49th or lower in the LIV Golf points standings after the finale in Indianapolis will get relegated. To get back in, they’d have to play their way back via winning the International Series or through LIV Golf Promotions.

Moreover, he isn’t the only member fighting tooth and nail to stick with the team, however. Brendan Steele doesn’t have a top 10 finish this season and has only scored 2 top 20s. Now, he’s sitting at 45th in the standings. On the other hand, their fellow team members are doing better. Cameron Tringale is currently sitting at 25th in the standings, and Mickelson is holding onto his 20th position.

Now, heading into the Sunday round in Chicago, Mickelson is sitting at T9. He is likely to add more points to the standings and thus keep himself safe for this season. Undoubtedly, though the HyFlyers captain is safe, the Majesticks cannot claim the same.

Sam Horsfield is worried about the state of Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter

LIV Golf’s got its eyes on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) accreditation, and that means the league’s tweaking rules, including no more exemptions for captains when it comes to relegation. Majesticks co-captains Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson, and Ian Poulter are in a nail-biter, teetering close to the relegation zone in 46th, 47th, and 51st, respectively.

With two events left, they’re staring down the barrel of possibly getting dumped from the league if they finish 49th or lower.

According to Majesticks member Adrian Horsfield in an interview with National Club Golfer, despite the tension, they’ve “got along great these past three years. I’m sure that, whatever happens, we’ll all still be really, really close. We’ll just have to wait and see how it transpires over the next couple of weeks.” Horsfield also commented on the new rules, saying, “As far as I’ve been told, and no matter if you’re a captain or not, you’re gone, which I like.”

If Westwood, Stenson, or Poulter get relegated, they’d face hefty fines to play on the DP World Tour again, after resigning their memberships. With relegation stakes high, the next two weeks are going to be intense for the Majesticks’ co-captains.