Latest news with #Cleeks
Forbes
12 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Inside Former Minecraft Boss Jonas Mårtensson's Cleeks Culture Play
Cleeks general manager Jonas Mårtensson Before taking the reins as general manager of Cleeks Golf Club—the LIV Golf team captained by Martin Kaymer—Jonas Mårtensson helped scale Minecraft, the best-selling video game of all time, which Microsoft acquired in 2014 for $2.5 billion. But can the former Mojang Studios CEO replicate his success building fairway culture the way he once did with pixelated playgrounds? So far, nine months into the new gig, Mårtensson is having a bigger blast on tour than he did during a decade of overseeing the beloved blocky 3D world where users can build anything. While he won't directly compare the challenges of managing Minecraft to attempting to turn a LIV Golf team into a household name, he's crystal clear on which role he prefers. Pixels to Pin Flags 'I think this way more fun for many reasons. I'm a golfer. I love golf. I think this is the most fun I've had in my career,' he intimated. 'I wouldn't want to compare how difficult things are—but with Minecraft, when I started there were 25 people, and there were about 1000 when I left. That was difficult. This is kind of a start-up on steroids, which is amazing. It's a completely different beast.' 'I came from a very large organization at Microsoft, and now my team is just the players, caddies and I have four other people,' Mårtensson said, adding that transition feels like reliving the early days of his career when he was starting companies, only now with a wealth of experience to draw on. One of the first moves Mårtensson made when he took the franchise's helm was a logo refresh, hiring design firm AKQA to update Cleeks brand positioning. 'At the time I thought the visual identity of Cleeks didn't really tell the story we wanted to tell. We had a lot of conversations with our Captain Martin Kaymer and the team to decide what is the brand position we want and who do we want to be when we grow up?' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder A cleek is an antiquated driving iron that achieved widespread use from the 1880s through the early 1920s so reverence for the roots of the game run deep but the brand also needed to evolve. They landed on the tagline 'tradition refreshed' to pay homage to the game's heritage while at the same time holding the door wide open to new fans. 'We love the sport. We want to celebrate and honor the traditions of the sport and we want to also refresh it and be part of this new era which LIV is spearheading. That's how we ended up there and we are doing it by being at the intersection of art, music and fashion.' Collaborations this year with Brooklyn's Public Drip on an apparel collection and leather goods maven Martin Key around a weekend bag are steps in that direction. Coming down the pipe in August, the team is launching a collaboration with The Rookies, the Australia‑based global platform for budding digital artists which has over 100,000 members. 'We're doing a project with them and I'm not going to tell you everything about it because it needs to be a surprise. We will use the golf bag as a canvas for an art project with them where we are inviting that community to be creative.' If Mårtensson has his way the teed-up C logo Kaymer and his compadres sport on their caps will transcend golf the same way Michael Jordan's Jumpman logo and Ferrari's prancing stallion did. The first step is having people develop an affinity for the Cleeks. 'You have to have people that love and it and we have to build a community,' Mårtensson explained on the route to reaching that level of fame which is his aspiration. 'It helps when people who other people look up to and can relate to are wearing the logo. That's what happened with the Yankees logo, it became a cultural phenomenon with lots of celebrities wearing the brand.' Trophies First? Typically, sports franchises that resonate pile on victories. People tend to gravitate towards winners and so far the Cleeks, currently in 12th spot in the team standings with their top player Adrian Meronk, who won in Riyadh, sitting in 15th in the individual standings. But Mårtensson takes a longview. 'I always tell the team we need to look at this on a ten, twenty, thirty-year horizon. It's more about being consistent over time and building a brand that people can relate to. it's always going to help if we have our players and team performing well. But I'm sure we will over time.' Beta Testing In the gaming universe, user feedback loops are built into every update cycle. In LIV Golf, building a team's brand takes a different tack, and is often achieved via real time, face-to-face interaction with fans. 'The great thing about golf is that you actually meet and see fans,' Mårtensson said. 'We've done four or five Cleeks garden parties now at tournaments. We invite our fans to hang out close to a good location on the golf course where we can meet and talk to people and see what they think about the brand and what excites them. That is as close to beta testing as we get.' The pairing of feedback and executive instinct doesn't just shape the brand, it also guides roster decisions. Player Personnel After former Cleeks player Kalle Samooja finished in the drop zone last season, (he was 49th in the individual standings) and got relegated, a personnel decision had to be made. Enter Florida State alum Frederik Kjettrup. The Dane made a splash on the PGA Tour Americas circuit last year, winning back-to-back events and notching a third title shortly after. But for Mårtensson and team captain Martin Kaymer, his resume wasn't the only deciding factor in choosing to add him to the Cleeks roster. 'If he wouldn't have matched with our personalities I don't think Freddie would play on our team, to be honest, so it's hugely important." With the team's four players serving as the public face of the brand, Mårtensson understands that character carries an important weight, though naturally, 'the performance in golf is also high up there.' When asked how he envisions the next five years playing out, Mårtensson comes back to achieving cultural relevance and hoisting trophies. 'If we see people running around in Cleeks hats and celebrities wearing our gear, that is success. Performance on the course is going to be hugely important so I hope we as a team have won a handful of tournaments, at least one of them being the team championship."
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-02-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Legion XIII, Meronk Post Wire-to-Wire Wins at LIV Golf Riyadh
The LIV Golf Riyadh, the inaugural event and first night tournament of the LIV Golf League season this year, concluded Saturday after three days of competition at the Riyadh Golf Club, featuring top players from the game. Adrian Meronk, a member of the Cleeks team, won the individual competition at LIV Golf Riyadh, finishing at the top of the leaderboard with an impressive 17-under score. Jon Rahm, captain of the Legion XIII team, and Sebastián Muñoz of the Torque team claimed second place, both finishing with scores of 15-under strokes, SPA reported. Meanwhile, the Legion XIII team emerged victorious in the team competition at the LIV Golf Riyadh, showcasing an impressive performance from all its members: Rahm, Tom McKibbin, Tyrrell Hatton, and Caleb Surratt. They achieved a remarkable score of 50-under strokes, comfortably outpacing their nearest competitors, the second-place Ripper team and the RangeGoats team, by 11 strokes.
Fox News
05-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
The LIV Golf roster is loaded! Meet the star players & teams for 2025
From Dustin Johnson, to Brooks Koepka to Bryson DeChambeau, the LIV Golf roster is loaded with some of the top stars in the world. With a new season upon us — with live coverage across FOX Sports platforms — there is no better time to meet the players and teams (yes, there are 13 teams!) who will dominate headlines in 2025. 4Aces GC 2024 team finish: 10th Who's new? Thomas Pieters joins the team in a trade with the RangeGoats. It's the second consecutive year the Aces have acquired a former RangeGoat, having obtained Harold Varner III the previous offseason. Pieters takes the place of Pat Perez, who will work as a full-time LIV Golf broadcaster in 2025. The offseason: It was a successful offseason for Patrick Reed, who won his first tournament in nearly four years in capturing the Link Hong Kong Open in November. Reed was 22 under for the four-round tournament, shooting 59 in the third round. Look out for Reed's return to Hong Kong Golf Club for the third event of the 2025 LIV Golf season … Johnson, a two-time winner of the PIF Saudi International, became a Golf Saudi ambassador in December … Pieters had back-to-back top-15 finishes on the International Series to end the 2024 season. Going to be a good year if … long-time friends Varner and Pieters push each other to new LIV Golf heights. Captain's last word: "I expect everyone to play better next year. I know I can play better. can too; I know he wasn't happy with how he played. Harold definitely played below par for his talent level. And obviously I know Thomas is a good player. I'm excited for the year." - Dustin Johnson Cleeks GC2024 team finish: 8th Who's new? Frederik Kjettrup, who replaces the relegated Kalle Samooja in the lineup. The 25-year-old Dane is the second key addition to the team in as many years, after the Cleeks signed Meronk before the 2024 season. Kjettrup, who played collegiately at Florida State, won three times on PGA Tour Americas after turning pro last year. The offseason: Along with the Kjettrup signing, the other big development for the team was its recent brand evolution announcement that includes a fresh visual identity and a new tagline: Tradition Refreshed … Soon after the rebrand came out, the team found itself in a fun social skirmish with American golfer Max Homa, who apparently didn't know that a cleek is "probably the oldest name for a golf club," responded Kaymer. "These days we would call it a 1- or a 2-iron. It's that easy." … Kaymer turned 40 on Dec. 28 and Bland turns 52 on Feb 3. Going to be a good year if … Kjettrup solidifies the No. 4 spot and Kaymer continues his return to form. No sleeper team this season; the Cleeks are legit. Captain's last word: "Richard has been extremely consistent … Adrian is a very solid, strong player ... Obviously with Frederik, this will be a completely new experience for him. But there's no reason why we shouldn't give ourselves a few chances this year to win some of the team competitions this year." - Martin Kaymer Crushers GC2024 team finish: 1st Who's new? No one. This lineup has been intact since Lahiri made his LIV Golf debut at the 2022 tournament in Boston, where he tied for second after making a three-man playoff. The offseason: Huge news to start the new year when the team announced a long-term partnership on Jan. 2 with Reebok to become the official apparel and footwear sponsor, marking the company's re-entry into the Performance Golf category while DeChambeau becomes the official face of Reebok Golf … DeChambeau, of course, also continued to increase his massive social media following thanks to 16 consecutive days of must-see videos in his attempt to make a hole-in-one over his new house. Oh, and he hung out with some famous people … Lahiri was busy as the ambassador for the International Series India presented by DLF, as he helped to bring DeChambeau, Casey and several other LIV Golf stars to his native country the week before the start of the LIV Golf season. Going to be a good year if … everyone stays healthy. No more injuries like the one that derailed Howell's year in 2024. Captain's last word: "You still have to play great golf in order to maximize the YouTube scene and that side of the coin, but we're still going to promote and grown the game as much as possible on YouTube. Hopefully, that transitions over to the Crushers as well. We're just over 200,000 organic followers, the most followed golf team out there. We want to get that to a million. - Bryson DeChambeau Fireballs GC2024 team finish: 6th Who's new? Luis Masaveu, who replaces Eugenio Chacarra in the lineup. The 22-year-old from Madrid will fit right in with fellow Spaniards Garcia and Puig. He just turned pro in October 2024 after an impressive amateur career that included a run to the semifinals at the U.S. Amateur. The offseason: All four players competed in the International Series season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers (Masaveu had not yet been signed). Ancer, the defending tournament champion, had the best result, a tie for 22nd with four rounds of 68 or better … Puig had four top-4 finishes in seven offseason starts … Garcia received an invite to play the 2025 PGA Championship. It will be his 25th start in that major … Puig turned 23 on Dec. 7 and Garcia turned 45 on Jan. 9. Going to be a good year if … Puig can perform like he does in non-LIV Golf events. Captain's last word: "I feel like our team is just getting stronger. Even though we're young, I feel like the potential is there. Obviously when you bring young guys, you're taking a little bit of a chance, but at the same time, it is very, very exciting." - Sergio Garcia HyFlyers GC2024 team finish: 12th Who's new? No one. The roster returns intact from the 2024 season after Ogletree's first full year in LIV Golf. Mickelson, Steele and Tringale are entering their third year together. The offseason: The big news was the recent announcement that Primo had become the team's official golf apparel sponsor, extending the relationship between Mickelson and Primo's owner, popular golf YouTuber Grant Horvat. The team even released an amusing video focusing on Primo's golf joggers … In November, Mickelson and Horvat announced a new YouTube collaboration involving a 2v2 challenge series … Ogletree had wrist surgery in mid-October but is now fully able to swing … Tringale had a solid performance at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, finishing tied for ninth with middle rounds of 65-66. Going to be a good year if … Ogletree stays healthy, and Mickelson turns back the clock. Captain's last word: "I do think we're going to have a great year. Camo and Steely have played very consistent … Andy is one of the best players in the league … And I don't feel like I have a lot that I need to improve on, even though my scores haven't been there. It's just sharpening up a couple of things." - Phil Mickelson Iron Heads GC2024 team finish: 13th Who's new? Jang, the 22-year-old budding star who was the Korean Tour's top player in 2024, was the team's big offseason acquisition. He fills the lineup spot created by Scott Vincent's relegation. The offseason: It's been a busy offseason for the Iron Heads. Besides signing Jang, the team also was involved in LIV Golf's new partnership with Coupang Play, with Korea's largest e-commerce company serving as the team's principle partner. Coupang Play also becomes the presenting sponsor for LIV Golf Korea, with the Iron Heads (especially their three Korean-born players) planning to be heavily involved in the promotion of LIV Golf's first event in that country … Lee, Jang and Lee participated in a unique charity event against the Grass League's Minnesota Muskies in January. Going to be a good year if … they build on the momentum from the Team Championship. Captain's last word: "I feel very pleased with the way things are going for us on and off the golf course. I think this is just the beginning. This is a turning point for the Iron Heads and 2025 is going to be an amazing year." - Kevin Na Legion XIII2024 team finish: 2nd Who's new? McKibbin, the 22-year-old who has already won on the DP World Tour, is the team's big offseason acquisition. He fills the lineup spot created by Kieran Vincent's relegation. The offseason: Hatton had an extremely productive offseason, winning the Alfred Dunhill Links in Scotland in early October, then reeling off three more top-6 finishes before winning the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in mid-January. That leaves him in good shape to play in all four majors this year … Caleb Surratt nearly corralled his first professional win in December, making a three-man playoff that included LIV Golf captains Joaquin Niemann and Cameron Smith at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. Niemann won on the second playoff hole … Hatton turned 33 on Oct. 14, Jon Rahm turned 30 on Nov. 10 and McKibbin turned 22 on Dec. 19. Going to be a good year if … the kids play well. Captain's last word: "I think we'll be more consistent this year than last year because we did have some ups and downs, but I think we could have an even better year this year. That's certainly the hope." - Jon Rahm Majesticks GC2024 team finish: 11th Who's new? No one. The lineup has remained intact (outside of injuries) since Stenson joined LIV Golf in 2022 and won in his first start at Bedminster. The three UK-born players have been together since Day 1. The offseason: British sportswear giant Castore recently announced a multi-year agreement to become the Majesticks' "Official Worldwide Apparel Partner" … The team launched its docuseries "Inside The Ropes" in November, a peel-back-the-curtain look at the 2024 season … Horsfield competed in three late-season International Series tournaments, with his best finish a T22 at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers … Poulter turned 49 on Jan. 10. Going to be a good year if … the three co-captains turn back the clock. Captain's last word: "We know we're a strong team and we just obviously need to perform. So just going to have some fun, play with confidence. There's nothing to say that we can't go out there and win three or four times this year. We need to play with that mindset." - Ian Poulter RangeGoats GC2024 team finish: 9th Who's new? Campbell was signed to fill the vacancy created by the trade of Thomas Pieters to 4Aces GC. Uihlein and Wolff return for their second season together as RangeGoats teammates. The offseason: Uihlein won the International Series Qatar by five strokes in December; it was his second victory in 2024 on The International Series. Uihlein finished second in the series' season-long rankings … One spot behind Uihlein on those rankings was Campbell in third place. Campbell, who had not yet signed with the RangeGoats, was the highest non-LIV Golf player in the rankings … Watson made two International Series starts, including an encouraging tie for 13th at the BNI Indonesian Masters … Wolff married Kim Lloyd in a wedding ceremony in mid-December in Miami … Swannies Golf was named as the team's official on-course apparel partner … Watson turned 46 on Nov. 5. Going to be a good year if … Bubba gets anywhere close to his Masters-type form. Captain's last word: "I think we're going to have podium finishes. I think our team's going to come together. And I know this is crazy to say, but I think Ben is our glue. Ben is very calm. He's not up and down like some of the other guys on the team, myself included. I think he's going to hold us together." - Bubba Watson Ripper GC2024 team finish: 3rd Who's new? No one. These four had a wildly successful first season together after Herbert joined the team prior to 2024. Jones was re-signed in mid-January to keep the roster intact. The offseason: The big news was Cam Smith's Summer Down Under in which he made four consecutive starts in Australia, giving his numerous fans plenty of opportunity to cheer him on. The goodwill tour netted him three top-3 finishes, but his teammate Herbert got the bragging rights by winning the NSW Open … Leishman turned 41 on Oct. 24 and Herbert turned 29 on Dec. 5. Going to be a good year if … they repeat 2024. Simple as that. Captain's last word: "I don't like to put too much pressure on myself. I think I just expect to prepare well and work as hard as I can and be competitive, be there on Sundays and hopefully get a couple of wins. This was my first winless season for a while, so it's definitely been in the back of my mind." - Cameron Smith Smash GC2024 team finish: 4th Who's new? No one. This is the carryover lineup from the 2024 season after Gooch and McDowell joined the team during the previous offseason. The club recently announced new contracts for Kokrak and McDowell. The offseason: Koepka partnered with Crushers GC Captain Bryson DeChambeau to play in The Showdown match against PGA Tour stars Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler … Kokrak finished T9 at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers; Gooch and McDowell also competed … Gooch continued building his sports portfolio by buying the Mississippi Blues Angling Club in the Sports Fishing Championship … Gooch turned 33 on Nov. 14. Going to be a good year if … the team finds any kind of consistency. The pieces are there. Captain's last word: "I like our team. You can't base your whole year off one week of match play, right? I've played good in match play and lost, and I've played bad in match play and won. That's the format. Can't do anything about it. I don't feel like we finished last, but it is what it is. That's where the results went and we didn't win. So we lost. At that point, if it's not a win, who cares?" - Brooks Koepka Stinger GC2024 team finish: 7th Who's new? No one. The lineup is set for a third full year together after Grace was re-signed to a two-year deal after the Stingers made a successful business-case argument to keep him post-relegation. Oosthuizen, Grace and Schwartzel are Day 1 LIV Golf players and have been together longer than any other threesome in the league. The offseason: Burmester won a tournament in South Africa for the second consecutive offseason, claiming the Vodacom Origins of Golf final on the Sunshine Tour … The Asian Tour's International Series Qatar was a showcase for the Stingers' depth, as Schwartzel finished solo second, Oosthuizen tied for third and Burmester tied for fifth … Grace produced a runner-up finish at LIV Golf Promotions in hopes of re-earning his spot with automatic qualification. Going to be a good year if … Grace continues his upward trend after battling injuries during the 2024 season. Captain's last word: "We're good friends and I don't really have to manage anyone. We're all straightforward guys and if you have an issue, you tell each other. I think it's very easy being this team's captain." - Louis Oosthuizen Torque GC2024 team finish: 5th Who's new? No one. This is the carryover lineup from the 2024 season after Ortiz joined the team after playing for the Fireballs in the first two LIV Golf seasons. The offseason: Niemann became The International Series champion after winning the season-ending PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers … Niemann received a special invite to play the Masters for the second consecutive year … Niemann turned 26 on Nov. 7 and Muñoz turned 32 on Jan. 4. Going to be a good year if … Joaco continues his form from 2024, and the team returns to its 2023 form. Captain's last word: "The four of us, we are going to prove something. It just has to go our way. I know it's the right team and we all know what we can do with the four of us playing good golf. It's just a matter of time." - Joaquin Niemann Wild-Card Players This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with LIV Golf.
