LIV Golf has announced the names of a select group of leaders from the sports and business worlds who will manage the operational and strategic aspects of LIV Golf’s five four-person teams, including day-to-day operations, sponsorship sales, marketing and player relations.
Boasting extensive experience across baseball, golf, tennis and esports, these leaders will leverage their experience to set strategic direction and focus on building sustained growth and long-term success on and off the course.
In keeping with LIV Golf’s mission to promote golf globally, these new leaders represent five countries: Australia, South Korea, South Africa, Sweden and the United States.
Jonas Martensson, former CEO of Mojang Studios, creators of the best-selling video game Minecraft, will join Creeks GC, captained by Martin Kaymer.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers, Major League Baseball and Gen.G Esports executive Martin E. Kim will take the reins at Iron Heads GC, captained by Kevin Na.
Longtime SPORTFIVE Senior Vice President of Golf Jeff Koski is in charge of Legion XIII, the league’s first new team, captained by Jon Rahm.
Following executive roles at ESPN, Yahoo!, IMG and Untamed Planet, Nick Adams now heads up Australian Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC.
The all-South African Stinger GC team, captained by Louis Oosthuizen, is led by South African Richard Glover, who is currently vice-president of the ATP Tour.
“Attracting top industry talent not only brings a wealth of business acumen, but is also a testament to LIV Golf’s long-term growth,” said Katie O’Reilly, Executive Vice President and Head of Team Business Operations, LIV Golf. “We are focused on providing golf fans with an unprecedented, best-in-class product. Today’s news is the next step in bringing our franchise model to life. We look forward to focusing on growing brand equity and franchise value across our 13 facilities as we watch our new team leaders flourish in our ecosystem.”
The new General Manager of LIV Golf….
“Golf has always been an important part of my life, so having the opportunity to combine my business expertise with my greatest passion feels surreal,” said Jonas Martensson. “The transition from the game to golf will be a fun challenge, and I’m looking forward to using my consumer-facing experience in the game and products to help grow the Creeks’ brand and fan engagement.”
Martenson’s primary vision for the future of the franchise includes building a globally recognized brand, leaving a lasting legacy in the community and developing a high-performing team that creates memorable moments for fans and partners.
Martin Kim joins Iron Heads GC after five years leading commercial revenue and strategic partnerships at Gen.G Esports, a globally renowned esports and gaming organization with operations in the United States, Korea and China.
Prior to joining Gen.G, Kim spent eight years in professional baseball, serving in various roles with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball, including corporate partnerships, international marketing, global events and player management with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region.
“From the beginning, I was attracted to LIV Golf’s long-term vision, and the opportunity to lead a founding franchise like Iron Heads inspired me to take on the role,” said Kim. “I am excited to be part of a new era in professional golf with the goal of growing Iron Heads into a globally successful franchise.”
With extensive experience in sports innovation and strategic growth through his tenure as SPORTFIVE’s Senior Vice President of Golf, Jeff Koski has already led the newest LIV Golf League team, Legion XIII, to new heights this season since assuming the role in January.
Koski has already made a big impact since joining Legion XIII, playing a key role in player recruitment and brokering two major team partnerships with Banco Santander and Maestro Dobel Tequila.
“It’s exciting to be at the forefront of innovation in the sport and I’m pleased to be able to play a small part in the future of golf,” said Koski. “Our team is setting the bar higher and higher on and off the course, aiming to set the standard in professional team golf.”
Nick Adams brings extensive experience working for some of the world’s most prestigious organisations, including ESPN, WME/IMG, Yahoo! and Sony Music, to Ripper GC as General Manager of the Australian team.
The Australian native was previously chief revenue officer at Untamed Planet, an environmentally-focused, games-focused entertainment company.
“I am excited to be part of the LIV Golf organization and contribute to the democratization of golf and the growth of the sport globally,” said Adams. “As a native Australian, I am excited to grow golf in the region and build towards LIV Golf Adelaide each year. In my role as GM of the Rippers, I will be committed to growing the community, the team, its talent and the commercial ecosystem that surrounds LIV.”
Richard Glover brings more than 20 years of expertise in sports management, strategic planning and commercial delivery to his new role as General Manager of Stinger GC, which he takes up in October.
He currently serves as Vice Chairman of the ATP Tour, the world governing body of men’s professional tennis. In this capacity, Glover is responsible for the strategy, budget and revenue of the ATP Challenger Tour across 46 countries, as well as overseeing special projects and the development of the men’s professional player base.
“Stinger GC is a team with a truly authentic South African heart – down to earth, friendly, and loving to play their hardest on the golf course and have fun,” said Glover. “I’m excited to work with Louis and the rest of the team to build Stinger GC into a sustainable sports brand that can scale globally while still maintaining a deep connection to South Africa.”