Bubba Watson joins five LIV Golf stars in making tour return after relegation from Saudi league

Bubba Watson endured a tough campaign on the LIV Golf circuit, and on the back of this the former Masters champion has turned his attention to the Asian Tour’s International Series.

Bubba Watson is one of six players from the LIV Golf roster who have turned their attention to the Asian Tour for this week’s International Series event at the Indonesian Masters.

Watson is the headline name competing in Indonesia, with 12 PGA Tour titles and two Masters victories to his name. His decision to head to Asia comes after the American veteran ended the 2024 LIV season inside the drop zone, thus seeing him relegated alongside four other stars.

Two of those were the Vincent brothers, Kieran and Scott, and the duo have also opted to follow in the footsteps of Watson in heading to the International Series this week.

Elsewhere Englishman Richard Bland – who won the Senior PGA Championship and Senior U.S. Open earlier this year – is also on the entry list, alongside LIV reserve players Ben Campbell and John Catlin, who is chasing a permanent spot with the breakaway league at the top of the International Series Order of Merit.

The series provides a direct route for players to the LIV setup, with the leading player promoted to the Saudi-funded circuit for the following season. For Watson, he may well need to get used to golf on the Asian circuit if he is to plot his way back to the breakaway league in a playing capacity.

It was thought that Watson would be exempt from relegation as one of LIV’s 15 team captains. It was revealed towards the end of the 2024 campaign however that team captains were no longer safe from relegation if they found themselves inside the drop zone come the end of the year.

Nevertheless, there is one more chance for the two-time Masters champion to use in order to come back as the RangeGoats player in 2025. Watson further disclosed after his demotion in Chicago last month of this year that as a team captain, he got an opportunity to present a business case to the league and his franchise in the event of trying to retain his playing spot in future.

Oh, it’s been a really tough year,” Watson boasted. But I think my teammates want me back and I’d like to be back.” Of course I have informed some debates need to occur and there are some commercial factors. We have perhaps, one of the most popular teams. Am I part of that? I think I am and I am willing to play better.”

At the moment his focus is with his contributions towards the course in Indonesia. “As everyone knows I have really enjoyed playing in tournaments overseas and so I am really excited of playing in Indonesia for the first time,” Watson said of his entry.

Well, for one, I like coming to Asia and just getting an immerse, plus enjoy the variety of players out here. The BNI Indonesian Masters is an important part of The International Series which then leads to the LIV Golf League. I am definitely a supporter of LIV Golf and pleased to see the positive changes it has brought to golf across the world.”