DJ, 4ACES GC REFOCUSED FOR MAYAKOBA

LIV Golf Mayakoba Preview: Yes, 4Aces Golf Club finished fourth at the Team Championship in Miami after entering the week leading the standings and earning a bye. And sure, it was disappointing considering the team was in prime position to win back-to-back season-long championships. But don’t think for a moment the downward trend will continue in 2024 as play gets underway at LIV Golf Mayakoba. Just listen to the players’ resolutions coupled with a major roster move in adding Harold Varner III.

“I feel like last year was a fluke for our guys and our team and that the first year was kind of more of who we are,” Patrick Reed said. “This year, we’re more determined to get back to that.”

It all starts at the top and Captain Dustin Johnson said he put in extra work this offseason after not being happy with 2023. The major champion did win an event at LIV Golf Tulsa and finished fifth in the overall points standings, but he doesn’t believe it was good enough.

Then there’s Reed, who for long stretches was the team’s most consistent player and was often leaned on for much-needed counting scores. Yet, like Johnson, the Masters champion said it wasn’t good enough and is “sick and tired of finishing inside the top 10 every week and not winning golf tournaments.”

To Reed’s credit, finishing sixth in the final individual standings is nothing to criticize, and he is a threat to win each time he tees it up, no matter the tournament, format or continent. Fans of 4Aces GC will be giddy knowing Reed expects to be locked in more than usual in 2024 while still on top of his game.

An important component will be Pat Perez, who seemingly plays his best when his team needs it most, particularly late in the season. It wasn’t a sure thing Perez would be back since he finished 2023 in the Open Zone with an expired contract. But Johnson knew the worth of Perez, who according to one analytics report was the most valuable Fourth Man in 2023. Johnson signed him to a one-year contract for 2024, making Perez the first free agent to sign a new deal in the offseason.

For all the extra offseason work and roster management, arguably the biggest move was trading Peter Uihlein to RangeGoats Golf Club for Varner III. It wasn’t a targeted move by Johnson and it set off other rosters being reworked, but the addition was huge considering Varner III’s on-course success and off-course contributions. He and Johnson are close friends, and Varner III’s positive personality is perfect for team golf, not to mention he has a LIV Golf victory.

The new-look roster will be on full display this week at LIV Golf Mayakoba and 4Aces GC should feel comfortable. Last season, the club finished second on the team leaderboard to Crushers Golf Club and received a nice showing from Perez (T7), who had all three of his scores count.