5 things to know about LIV Golf, the Saudi-backed PGA Tour rival debuting this week
Despite being just a week away from the U.S. Open, one of the biggest events on the annual golf calendar, there’s a non-PGA Tour event that’s dominating the headlines.
Saudi-backed LIV Golf will hold its first event later this week outside London, England. While the fields will be smaller and not exactly jam-packed with recognizable talent, there are certainly some big names competing in the inaugural event. That list includes Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia, along with a handful of other past major champions.
Big name commitments
A major part of the recent LIV Golf buzz is the number of big-name commitments Norman has secured as it inches closer to its debut. The two biggest names on the marquee: Phil Mickelson, whose flirtation with LIV Golf was very public and controversial, and ultimately led to him stepping away from the public limelight for multiple months after comments made about the Saudis, and Dustin Johnson, one of the most successful players on the PGA Tour.
Johnson, who reportedly received more than $100 million to jump ship to LIV, resigned from the PGA Tour on Tuesday. RBC, his top sponsor, has already dropped him.
Mickelson signed a contract worth approximately $200 million, according to the Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine. Both players intend to play in major championships, though that decision will ultimately be made by tournament organizers themselves.
Other notable names on board include past major winners Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Martin Kaymer, past World No. 1 Lee Westwood and Ryder Cup fixture Ian Poulter. All eight of the aforementioned players will be in the field for its first event, scheduled to start Thursday in London.
Major champions Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed plan to sign up with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational series in time for the rival circuit to start playing in U.S. cities, a British newspaper reported Wednesday.
Dustin Johnson sat in front of a “LIV Golf” logo in England this week and, with a straight face, said, “I chose what’s best for me and my family.”
Willis Cowlishaw turns 96 next week, and he usually doesn’t get so worked up these days.
Charl Schwartzel survived a tense finish in the final round to hold off Hennie du Plessis by one shot and win the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational near London on Saturday.
If history is any indication, there are unlikely to be any real winners in this battle of the links.
The dispute between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-funded LIV Golf series now has the attention of the U.S. Department of Justice.
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