LIV Golf stand-in outshines Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson with career-high payday

LIV Golf stand-in John Catlin was an unknown quantity for much of the packed crowd at The Grove in Nashville at the weekend, but he ended the week as an unlikely star after a hugely impressive performance.

The world No. 167 has spent the past few years grinding away on the Asian Tour and DP World Tour, with a smattering of PGA Tour appearances thrown in. But with Crushers player Charles Howell III withdrawing from the LIV events in Houston and Nashville in recent weeks, 33-year-old Catlin has made the most of his opportunity as a reserve player.

After finishing in a tie for 24th at Houston earlier this month, Catlin was part of Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers squad again at The Grove. The Asian Tour leader, a California native, showed he belonged, holding a share of second place heading into the third and final round, three shots behind leader Tyrrell Hatton.

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Catlin was in the final group with Hatton and DeChambeau in Tennessee on Sunday, but his momentum slowed and he finished in a tie for seventh place, eight shots adrift of winner Hatton. Although he started the day with hopes of contending for victory, Catlin secured a milestone result in just his second LIV Golf start.

With his seventh-place finish in the individual standings, Catlin earned a career-high $562,500 (£442,850) in prize money. He also played a pivotal role in the Crushers taking second place in the team standings, earning a quarter-share of $1.5million (£1.2m).

Catlin could not conceal the fact that he had a permanent LIV roster spot in his sights during a press conference after Saturday’s second round. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t creep in there, but again, I don’t really have any control over that. That’s up to the captains. That’s up to managers. That’s up to the team organization,” he said.

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“If I just keep doing what I’m doing, things are going to work out, and I’m going to keep putting in the work, and I hope I get more opportunities to showcase what I can do. We’ll just have to wait and see. I hope so. I can tell you that right now; I would love to be out here.”

Catlin’s performance at The Grove certainly did his chances no harm, taking just two events to surpass personal-best LIV results for the likes of Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson – neither of whom have finished better than eighth place in a LIV event since joining the breakaway circuit in 2022 and 2023 respectively.

Howell is expected back in action soon after missing the past two events with a hairline fracture in his leg, but Catlin has put himself in the frame for any roster spots that open up on the Saudi Arabia-backed tour in the coming weeks and months.