LIV Golf has snagged another rising star from the PGA Tour pipeline, signing 24-year-old Danish golfer Frederik Kjettrup to Cleeks GC.
The former Florida State standout is walking away from a guaranteed spot in the final stage of PGA Tour Q-School to join the Saudi-backed league.
It’s a pretty big deal. Kjettrup had earned his Q-School spot after an impressive run on PGA Tour Americas, where he won three times and finished second in points this season.
He’s not the only one making the jump. South Korea’s Yubin Jang also ditched Q-School at the last minute, joining Iron Heads GC instead.
Kjettrup’s got some serious golf chops. During his college days, he climbed as high as No. 11 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and picked up two wins for the Seminoles, including the ACC Championship.
His final college tournament showed his fighting spirit. After a rough start with an 84 at the NCAA Championship, he bounced back with three solid rounds to help Florida State reach the championship match. They ended up losing to Auburn, but it was still an impressive run.
The young Dane hit the ground running as a pro. He qualified for the U.S. Open and then absolutely crushed it in Canada, winning his first two tournaments there. He’s currently ranked No. 241 in the world.
“Several things attracted us,” Cleeks GC captain Martin Kaymer told bunkered. “It’s very difficult becoming a professional and winning fairly early… He backed it up with another win in just a few weeks. That’s an incredible achievement for someone who just finished school.”
Kaymer’s especially excited about Kjettrup’s attitude and passion for the game. That’s crucial because starting next year, all four team members’ scores will count in LIV events.
There’s still one big question mark: access to major tournaments. But Kaymer’s optimistic. “What I’ve heard from the league is that it looks pretty good. Hopefully next year we have some kind of way of qualifying for majors,” he said.
Kjettrup joins a Cleeks GC roster that includes Kaymer, Richard Bland, and Adrian Meronk. LIV Golf is expected to make the signing official on Friday.
