Kieran Vincent from Zimbabwe is set to join his brother Scott in the upcoming LIV Golf season, securing a spot along with Samooja and Jinichiro Kozuma among the three available positions.
On Sunday, LIV Golf welcomed three new full-time members for the 2024 season. Kalle Samooja from Finland, Kieran Vincent from Zimbabwe, and Jinichiro Kozuma from Japan secured their spots by topping the leaderboard after playing 36 holes at the LIV Golf Promotions event in Abu Dhabi. Samooja led the scoring, posting eight-under-par over the two rounds at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
While Vincent and Kozuma each recorded seven-under, they entered a three-player playoff to determine the final two LIV spots. Laurie Canter, the third playoff participant, was eliminated after the second hole when Vincent birdied and Kozuma finished at par. Canter faced challenges after finding water with his second shot on the hole.
Samooja, Vincent, and Kozuma were part of the 73 players in the field. Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho advanced to Saturday’s second round but fell outside the top 20 players needed to progress, concluding the day with an even-par 72.
Reflecting on the outcome, Samooja, 35, expressed confidence, stating, “I think we had the best three guys from the field to get their cards.”
Kieran Vincent (third left), Jinchiro Kozuma (fourth left), and Kalle Samooja celebrate alongside their caddies upon qualifying for the 2024 LIV Golf League. In total, the trio boasts 18 professional wins, with Samooja claiming 13 victories.
The 26-year-old Vincent secured one win at the International Series event in Vietnam this year, while Kozuma, 29, has accumulated four wins.
