Explained: LIV Golf's offseason, player trades and new signings

LIV Golf have confirmed its offseason is now open. 

It means that teams are free to sign players and trade with others. 

Players who finished the 2025 season in the top 24 of the individual points standings, known as the Lock Zone, are already assured of spots in the league. 

Any player who finishes inside this zone with a contract expiring is automatically granted a one-year extension. 

However, those players can choose to decline the extension and entre free agency and sign for another team.

Elsewhere, golfers who finish in spots 25-48 are in what is known as the Open Zone, becoming free agents if they were in the final year of their contract. 

Should no team offer an Open Zone player a contract, they will lose their spots in the league. 

This happened to the likes of Pat Perez, John Catlin and Spain's Eugenio Chacarra. 

Perez was part of Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces quartet but was considered surplus to requirements by the former Masters champion. 

Perez then decided to swap his golf clubs for a microphone and served as an on-course commentator and analyst for LIV Golf broadcasts.

Chacarra appeared to clash with his team captain, Sergio Garcia, and is now chasing his dream of earning a PGA Tour card and qualifying for a European Ryder Cup team. 

Then we come to what is known as the Drop Zone. 

Players who finished 49th or below are relegated. 

Former Open champion Henrik Stenson and multiple PGA Tour winner turned golf's yeti, Anthony Kim, were among those given the boot. 

In the past, players who finished in the relegation spots were able to retain their places provided they made a "business case" to remain. 

Team captains were also exempt from relegation. 

Both rules have been eliminated now as it is understood to strengthen LIV's case for being accredited by the Official World Golf Ranking. 

All hope is not lost for players in the Drop Zone, as pathways exist to return to LIV. 

The International Series' order of merit winner earns a golden ticket to LIV, though there are reports recently this could extend to the top two players. 

LIV Golf Promotions will also graduate one player. 

At the time of publication, no new signings have been announced by LIV. 

There is speculation that at least two PGA Tour winners are in advanced talks to join the league. 

Elsewhere, it has been reported that Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have agreed new contracts with LIV. 

No official announcement has yet been made.