Aston Villa figure joins LIV Golf League
Former Aston Villa bigwig Chris Heck has joined LIV Golf as the Saudi Arabia-backed league’s new president of business operations.
Heck left Villa this season after a two-year stint that saw the Premier League club reach the Champions League.
It comes as the US Amateur champion Jose Luis Ballester snubbed a spot on the Korn Ferry Tour to join Sergio Garcia’s Fireballs GC team on the Public Investment Fund-backed series, which also enjoys the employment of the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Jon Rahm.
“Chris Heck brings a commercial mindset, the proven ability to attract, retain and develop talented executives, and a consistent and proven track record of driving exponential growth to the businesses he leads. These qualities and his approach will continue to move us closer to the extraordinary vision of His Excellency Yasir Al-Rumayyan,” said Scott O’Neil, LIV Golf chief.
The LIV Golf League comprises 14 events across the year, each with three rounds. There is also an adjacent team series which uses the combined individual scores to determine placings.
‘Deeply honoured’ Heck
The top 24 golfers earn points with high placings helping participants avoid a potential booting from the competition.
Joaquin Niemann, DeChambeau and Rahm make up the current top three; Neimann has won twice on the tour while Garcia, DeChambeau, Marc Leishman and Adrian Meronk have each picked up a solo win.
Heck said: I am deeply honoured to join LIV Golf during this important moment for the league, and to support a global leader in golf devoted to expanding the game’s reach.”
Rahm’s Legion XIII team sit top of the team standings, ahead of Garcia’s Fireballs and DeChambeau’s Crushers. Ripper GC are the only team outside of the top three to win a team title this season.
The LIV Golf League continues this weekend in Washington DC.