Jinichiro Kozuma, a 31-year-old Japanese professional golfer, was unexpectedly dropped from the LIV Golf league just weeks before the 2026 season opener. The Iron Heads team, for which he played, rebranded as the Korean Golf Club without informing him directly, leaving him to discover the news on Instagram on January 12. Despite a solid 2025 season ranking 32nd, Kozuma finds himself jobless while lower-ranked players retain spots.
Jinichiro Kozuma's tenure with LIV Golf ended abruptly amid significant roster shake-ups ahead of the 2026 season. The league has seen considerable movement, including Brooks Koepka's high-profile departure, but Kozuma's exit stands out for its lack of communication. Playing for the Iron Heads under captain Kevin Na, Kozuma had earned his full spot at the end of 2023 by finishing top three in the LIV Promotions event.
In his first full season in 2024, Kozuma achieved one top-10 finish and ended 45th in standings, avoiding the Drop Zone for players ranked 49th or worse. His 2025 performance improved markedly: after missing early events due to injury, he tied for seventh at LIV Golf Korea and lost a playoff to Patrick Reed at LIV Golf Dallas. This effort placed him 32nd overall, just outside the top-24 Lock Zone and into the Open Zone, where players face trades or drops.
Na finished 44th, also safe from relegation, yet both were cut as the Iron Heads were relegated and rebranded into the Korean Golf Club. Kozuma received no direct updates from the team since last year. "Since last year, I personally didn’t receive any direct communication from the Iron Heads organization. Because of that, there was a period where it was difficult to fully understand what the situation was," he said through a translator in an interview with Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig.
Late last year, Kozuma heard rumors of a potential shift to a Korean-based team, with hints he might not fit. "Toward the end of last year, I heard that there was a possibility the Iron Heads might transition into a Korean-based team. At the same time, I was also told that if that happened, there was a chance I wouldn’t be able to remain with the team," he recounted. The uncertainty persisted until the January 12 Instagram post confirmed the change. "The moment I clearly understood that I wouldn’t be playing for the Iron Heads moving forward was when I saw the official Instagram post announcing the Korean team," Kozuma revealed.
The timing, less than a month before the season starts in Saudi Arabia, adds to the surprise. Notably, up to 14 players who ranked below Kozuma in 2025 still secured spots for 2026, raising questions about the league's decisions.
