Dustin Johnson faces fresh legal headache (!) ahead of LIV Golf Andalucia and The Open

Dustin Johnson’s LIV Golf team, 4 Aces GC, is facing a trademark opposition from the University of Alabama. Sports Law Attorney John Nucci reported that the university claims the 4 Aces logo closely resembles their own. Johnson, a two-time major champion, leads the team alongside Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, and Harold Varner III.

### Struggles and Legal Woes

The 4 Aces, champions of the inaugural 2022 season, have struggled in 2024, currently ranking 10th out of 13 teams. The University of Alabama’s opposition to their trademark comes just before the LIV Golf Andalucia event. Nucci’s tweets suggest the university’s move might be more about maintaining trademark enforcement rather than expecting a victory.

### Previous Legal Battles

This isn’t LIV Golf’s first trademark dispute. In June 2023, Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC had to change their logo after a lawsuit from apparel company Fallen. Adidas also filed a lawsuit against LIV Golf over logo similarities, but no public updates have been provided on that case. Notably, Johnson’s partnership with Adidas ended in early 2023.

### Johnson’s Future in Golf

Despite signing with LIV Golf for around $150 million in 2022 and relinquishing his PGA Tour card, Johnson has hinted at retiring before age 50 to spend more time with his family. Currently, he’s competing in the 10th LIV Golf event of the season in Spain, after securing his third career title on the tour in Las Vegas earlier this year. However, his 2024 season has seen only three top-10 finishes, including a missed cut at both The Masters and US Open, and a T43 finish at the US PGA.

### Looking Ahead to The Open Championship

Johnson is set to compete at Royal Troon, Scotland, in the 152nd Open Championship next week. Although he has never won The Open, his 2020 Masters victory grants him eligibility for the final major of the season.