Out of the Rough: LIV Golf Andalucia (2026)

In the final tune-up before the U.S. Open in two weeks time, LIV Golf takes to Spain for the LIV Golf Andalucia.

Held at the Real Club Valderrama since the tour entered a five-year agreement with the course in 2023, this will be the fourth consecutive season that the venue has hosted this event.

Real Club Valderrama is one of the most prestigious golf courses in the World, having previously hosted the Andalucia Masters of the DP World Tour. This venue also hosted the 1997 Ryder Cup, the first time the event was held in Continental Europe.

Of course, next week is The Open Championship so this week will serve as a final tune-up for those qualified to represent LIV Golf.

The Field

As always, all of the stars of LIV Golf will be in attendance this week.

None more notable than home favorite Jon Rahm who looks to increase his 2026 win total to three on home soil this week.

He’ll look to hold off Bryson DeChambeau who is also seeking his third victory of 2026 as well as LIV Golf’s all-time win total leader Joaquin Niemann who tallied his eighth LIV Golf victory last week in Korea.

Rahm continues his stranglehold on the season-long points standings, leading second place DeChambeau by 188.68 points.

4Aces GC (Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim, Thomas Detry and Thomas Pieters) remain atop the team standings, leading Ripper GC (Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Lucas Herbert and Elvis Smylie) by 19.75 points.

The Course

Real Club Valderrama plays as a par-71 at roughly 7,100 yards.

It annually ranks among the top courses in the world and has previously mentioned, has hosted numerous professional events, including the Ryder Cup in 1997.

The course has been nicknamed the “Augusta of Europe” for its championship pedigree and immaculate maintenance. 

It was designed by Robert Treny Jones in 1974, who later returned in the mid-1980’s, alongside Jamie Ortiz-Patino to perform more work on the course.

Off-the-tee, golfers will be faced with narrow, tight and sloping fairways that are tree lined, mainly by cork trees. This adds to the need for accuracy off-the-tee.

From there, golfers will be tested on their approach, as they look to find smaller-than-average greens.

These greens are undulating and run at roughly 12.5 on the Stimpmeter. 

Real Club Valderrama features four par-fours that are under 400 yards. The longest par-three is 225 yards, the longest par-four is 490 yards and the longest par-five is 564 yards.

The 17th hole, which is also the easiest hole on the golf course, is a 564-yard par-five that provides a natural amphitheater for fans.

The par-three 12th is the hardest hole on the golf course.

The Weather

As of the time of writing this, there is at most a five-percent chance of precipitation across all four days. Temperatures are going to be warm, very warm. Thursday is set at 91-degrees before bumping up to 92-degrees for both Friday and Saturday. Temperatures are set to peak at 96-degrees on Sunday. Winds will be the highest on Thursday at 12 miles-per-hour. Winds will settle to eight miles-per-hour on Friday and six miles-per-hour on Saturday. Winds will bump up to seven miles-per-hour on Sunday.

Key Stats

• Greens in Regulation Percentage (GIR%)

• Scrambling

• Fairway Hit Percentage

• Putting Average

Betting Card

Branden Grace (+2500)

Grace is currently third on Tour in scrambling, sixth in GIR%, 23rd in putting average and 25th in hit fairway percentage. Grace placed 14th in Korea last week. Prior to that he placed 21st in Virginia, fifth in Mexico City and third in South Africa across his last four starts. He also placed fourth at this event a season ago. He also played here in both 2024 and 2023 where he placed 38th and 31st respectively. 

Charles Howell III (+4000)

I was debating between Howell III and Scott Vincent for this place on the betting card but when I found a 40/1 on Howell III, I knew my decision was made. Howell III is currently first on Tour in scrambling, 12th in GIR%, 20th in hit fairway percentage and 30th in putting average. He placed fourth last week in Korea, 14th in Virginia, 20th in Mexico City, ninth in South Africa and 28th in Singapore across his last five starts. Howell III placed 19th here a season ago. He also played here in 2023 where he placed 45th. 

Younghan Song (+9000)

A tight claustrophobic golf course? Mark me down for Song at 90/1 please! Song is currently second on Tour in hit fairway percentage, seventh in scrambling and 16th in GIR%. The problem is, he is 54th in putting average. There are just 56 golfers who qualify for stats. Song will need to find some magic on the greens this week but the rest of his game is elite. He placed a season best 14th last week in Korea. Prior to that he placed 30th in Virginia, 39th in Mexico City, 17th in South Africa and 39th in Singapore across his last five starts. He’ll be making his tournament debut this week.

2025 Betting Card

• Louis Oosthuizen (+3500) - T45th

• Tom McKibbin (+4100) - T4th

• Richard Bland (+8000) - T15th