LIV Golf Andalucia Preview: Sergio Garcia Eyes Repeat At 'My Favorite Course'
When: July 11-13, 2025Where: Real Club Valderrama, San Roque, Cádiz, SpainCompetition: Three rounds/54 holes of stroke playField: 54 players — 13 teams of four players each, and two wild cardsDefending champions: Sergio Garcia (individual), Fireballs GC (team)
Shotgun Start (ET)Rd. 1, Friday - 7 a.m.Rd. 2, Saturday - 7 a.m.Rd. 3, Sunday - 6:30 a.m.
Spanish-born Sergio Garcia, the captain of Fireballs GC, calls Real Club Valderrama "my favorite course in the world."
Given that Garcia has won four professional tournaments there, including his breakthrough LIV Golf individual playoff in 2024, it's no wonder a smile crosses his face whenever he talks about Valderrama.
The 45-year-old Garcia certainly is happy to return to the course for this week's LIV Golf Andalucía for the third consecutive year.
"It's super special," Garcia said. "Not only for me but for all of us because of how much Valderrama means to all of us, to Europe, all the amazing things that have happened here on this golf course."
Last year was certainly amazing for both Garcia and his Fireballs, as they swept both trophies via playoff – the only time in LIV Golf's young history that a tournament has produced a double playoff for the individual and team titles.
"It's been great to me," Garcia said.
Garcia is not the only Spanish-born captain in LIV Golf. Legion XIII's Jon Rahm also enjoys returning to his home country to play Valderrama, the first course in Continental Europe to host the Ryder Cup in 1997.
"It's all subjective, but it's probably the best golf course we have in Spain," Rahm said. "It's something that we all grew up wanting to play."
Cleeks Golf Club Captain Martin Kaymer was born in Germany but now resides in the Sotogrande area that includes Valderrama. He's been close on several occasions in his pro career to lifting a trophy there.
"One of those venues where I wanted to put my name on the trophy," Kaymer said. "I came close. I think I finished five or six times in the top 5. So, it's a golf course that I like, that I enjoy playing, that I can play well. It's a matter of time, hopefully."
Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC have won the last three LIV Golf team titles and will seek a fourth straight trophy at LIV Golf Andalucía. If they win at Valderrama, it would match the LIV Golf record for longest win streak by either a team or individual.
4 – 4Aces GC (2022 Portland/Bedminster/Boston/Chicago)
3 – Crushers GC (2025 Korea/Virginia/Dallas)3 – Fireballs GC (2025 Adelaide/Hong Kong/Singapore)
2 – Ripper GC (2024 Adelaide/Singapore)2 – Crushers GC (2024 Jeddah/Hong Kong)2 – Torque GC (2023 DC/Andalucía)
San Roque, Cádiz, Spain
Par: 71Yardage: 7,010Meters: 6,410
Bogey Avoidance: Much more important than birdie rate. The average top-5 finisher at this course has made 2.75 bogeys per round vs 4.25 for the other players finishing in the top 50.
Finding Fairways: The value of distance is the lowest all season, averaging at just +0.11 per hole. There is also severe miss fairway penalty in play, average +0.40. Driver will likely only be used 6/7 times at the most.
Inside 150 Yards: Players will face 52% of their approach shots this week with the wedges inside of 150 yards vs the season average of 32.5%.
Lag Putting: Because the penalty for missing greens is so severe, players focus on the middle and larger parts of the greens instead of aiming for flags. Thus, longer lag first putts are more impactful.
This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.
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