golfers leaving the pga tour

Tue 27 Aug 2024

2024 newspaper of the year

@ Contact us

Your newsletters

LIV Golf players list: Everyone who has quit PGA Tour and DP World Tour to play in the 2023 series

Cameron smith, dustin johnson and phil mickelson are among other players to have pledged their commitment to liv golf.

When the highly contentious LIV Invitational Series resumes in 2024, it will boast reigning Masters champion and world No 3-ranked Jon Rahm as the latest of golf’s most famous players who have signed up to play .

Rahm , a four-time winner on the 2023 PGA Tour, member of Europe’s Ryder Cup -winning team and prior critic of the LIV format , joins the league bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in a deal reportedly worth up to £450m.

Rumours had begun to swirl over the Spaniard’s future, including when he was notably absent from the line-up of golfers committed to the PGA Tour’s American Express stop in January, as well as withdrawing from the Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy -backed TGL league’s inaugural season last month.

And despite admitting his decision to join LIV was a “risk” in terms of his future participation in the Ryder Cup – the 29-year-old will need to remain a member of the DP World Tour to be eligible for the biennial USA vs Europe showdown – Rahm told Fox News : “Things have changed a lot in the game of golf over the past two years and I’ve seen the growth of LIV Golf and the innovation.

“That’s why I’m here today. This decision was made for many reasons and what I thought was best for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great deal.”

The 2024 LIV Golf schedule will feature 14 stops, including new events in Las Vegas, Houston and Nashville.

2024 LIV Golf Schedule 2-4 February:  LIV Mayakoba — El Cameleon Country Club 8-10 February : LIV Las Vegas — Las Vegas Country Club 1-3 March:  LIV Saudi Arabia — TBD 8-10 March:  LIV Hong Kong — Hong Kong Golf Club 5-7 April:  LIV “USA” — Location and course TBD 26-28 April:  LIV Adelaide — The Grange Golf Club 3-5 May:  LIV Singapore — The Serapong Golf Club 7-9 June:  LIV Houston — The Golf Club of Houston 21-23 June:  LIV Nashville — The Grove Golf Club 12-14 July:  LIV Andalucia — Real Club Valderrama 25-28 July:  LIV UK: Staffordshire — JCB Golf and Country Club 16-19 August:  LIV Greenbrier — The Old White Course at the Greenbrier TBD:  LIV Golf Individual Championships TBD:  LIV Golf Team Championships.

Who played in the 2023 LIV Golf series and how did it work?

The financial package put forward by LIV Golf seduced Dustin Johnson , Lee Westwood , and Sergio Garcia from the get-go last year, with Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter and plenty of others signing up soon after.

Mickelson was reportedly paid $200m (£159m) just for turning up, while Johnson, the top-ranked player to have joined so far, earning $150m (£119m). Johnson announced his resignation from the PGA Tour in order to concentrate fully on the new tournament fronted by former world No 1 Greg Norman, but the PGA has since suspended all players to have made the switch.

Besides the eye-watering signing-on-fees, the prize money on offer is staggering. There is a $25m (£19.9m) purse to be split between the 48 players per tournament in the eight-event series, with the winner pocketing $4m (£3.2m) and the loser earning $120k (£95k).

More from Golf

The format is also very different from traditional majors. There are 54 rather than 72 holes for a start – “LIV” is 54 in Roman numerals – there is a “shotgun” start where players tee off at the same time, and golfers are grouped into teams of four.

Johnson is captain of the “4 Aces”, Mickelson is leading the “Hy Flyers” and Poulter is affiliated to “Majesticks”.

The first 2022 tournament was held in England, with subsequent events taking place in Portland, Bedminster, Boston, Chicago, Bangkok, Jeddah and Miami.

In the build-up, players faced questions about “sportswashing” and whether Saudi Arabia is seeking to deflect attention from its human rights record by investing so heavily in the sport. Mickelson previously called the Saudis “scary motherf**kers” before backtracking.

“I don’t condone human rights violations at all,” he said. “I’m certainly aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi and I think it’s terrible. I have also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history and I believe LIV Golf is going to do a lot of good for the game as well.”

Graeme McDowell said “we’re not politicians, we’re professional golfers,” in regards to the country’s human rights record and Talor Gooch responded “I’m a golfer, I’m not that smart”. Poulter and Westwood both said they would not answer “hypothetical questions” when asked whether they would have played in a tournament held by Vladimir Putin or in South Africa during Apartheid.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, former US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau and ex-Masters champion Patrick Reed signed up to the breakaway competition after the first event, while Paul Casey was also confirmed in early July.

Open champion Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann were then among a fresh wave of players unveiled by LIV Golf.

The 2023 series kicked off in Mayakoba in February, followed by tournaments in Tucson, Orlando, Adelaide, Singapore, Tulsa, DC, Valderrama, London, Greenbrier, Bedminster, Chicago, Miami and Jeddah.

2023 LIV Golf players list A-Z

Here are all 48 players who competed in the 14-event series in 2023.

There were 12 teams in total, with 13 major champions in the field, 16 nations represented, and a combined 125 Ryder Cup appearances.

Four players – Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka and Lee Westwood – have held the title of world No 1. Scroll down for the teams and more analysis.

• Abraham Ancer
• Richard Bland
• Dean Burmester
• Laurie Canter
• Eugenio Chacarra
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Sergio Garcia
• Talor Gooch
• Branden Grace
• Sam Horsfield
• Charles Howell III
• Dustin Johnson
• Martin Kaymer
• Brooks Koepka
• Chase Koepka
• Jason Kokrak
• Anirban Lahiri
• Marc Leishman
• Graeme McDowell
• Phil Mickelson
• Jediah Morgan
• Sebastian Munoz
• Joaquin Niemann
• Andy Ogletree
• Louis Oosthuizen
• Carlos Ortiz
• Mito Pereira
• Thomas Pieters
• Ian Poulter
• Patrick Reed
• Charl Schwartzel
• Cameron Smith
• Brendan Steele
• Henrik Stenson
• Cameron Tringale
• Peter Uihlein
• Harold Varner III
• Scott Vincent
• Bubba Watson
• Lee Westwood
• Bernd Wiesberger
• Matthew Wolff

LIV Golf 2023 team names and roster

• 4Aces – Dustin Johnson (captain), Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Peter Uihlein
• Cleeks – Martin Kaymer (captain), Graeme McDowell, Richard Bland, Bernd Wiesberger
• Crushers – Bryson DeChambeau (captain), Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri
• Fireballs – Sergio Garcia (captain), Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
• HyFlyers – Phil Mickelson (captain), Cameron Tringale, James Piot, Brendan Steele
• Iron Heads – Kevin Na (captain), Sihwan Kim, Scott Vincent, Danny Lee
• Majesticks – Ian Poulter (co-captain), Henrik Stenson (co-captain), Lee Westwood (co-captain), Sam Horsfield
• RangeGoats – Bubba Watson (captain), Harold Varner III, Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters
• Ripper – Cameron Smith (captain), Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan
• Smash – Brooks Koepka (captain), Matthew Wolff, Jason Kokrak, Chase Koepka
• Stinger – Louis Oosthuizen (captain), Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester
• Torque – Joaquin Niemann (captain), Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig

Analysis: LIV Invitational is morally bankrupt and won’t revitalise golf

By Matt Butler

The name is quite clever: LIV. In Roman numerals it is 54 and the players in this new incarnation of golf kicking off in the exotic locale of Hemel Hempstead will play that many holes. Neat, huh?

Of course, you might say that a new sporting franchise bolstered by limitless petrodollars would be expected to be creative with its branding.

But the new kid in town is a sign that golf is in desperate need of some love. Whether that love comes from a despotic regime with a dreadful record on human rights is something for Phil Mickelson , Dustin Johnson , Lee Westwood and, err, James Piot to ponder as they chase a ball around a course for a share of 20 mill a tournament.

Related Stories

And if you put aside the ickiness of the Saudi regime behind Jamal Khashoggi ’s killers providing the lipstick and mascara to the game, the concept of a quickfire bunch of tournaments with a set season and eight-figure sums of cash riding on each one sounds intriguing – even if the reason why players joined appears to be all about the money. Not that cold hard cash as a motivator is news, especially in the world of golf.

The rules are thus: everyone tees off at once. It is called a shotgun start, which sounds a little violent, given the paymasters, but I guess bonesaw start would have been too much. Twelve teams of four play in a match-play format, with individual members also competing in a strokeplay competition. There is no cut to miss. So far, so mildly diverting.

However, toe-curlingly twee “Camden Market-style” stalls, a Craig David and Jessie J gig and Sporty Spice on the decks post-match does not sound like much of an answer to the organiser’s promise to “supercharge” golf.

Read Matt’s full analysis here

Most Read By Subscribers

BMW Championship

Castle Pines Golf Club

100 GREATEST HOLES

‘An unwinnable situation’: The delicate marriage between the PGA Tour and Bryson DeChambeau is over

Bryson DeChambeau called PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan on Tuesday to say he will play in the LIV Golf event in Oregon l ater this month, and there’s nothing that could change his mind. DeChambeau is a transcendent figure in the game, one of the precious few golfers capable of capturing general sports fans’ attention. At 28, he is one of the game’s longest hitters, a major champion, and a compelling enough figure to finish fifth in the inaugural Player Impact Program, behind only Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.

In that respect, the news that DeChambeau, alongside similarly polarizing figure Patrick Reed, would join the group of players cashing in with LIV was a gut punch to the PGA Tour. But there was, however, an accompanying emotion pulsing through PGA Tour circles on Wednesday: the type of relief that comes at the end of a turbulent and often toxic relationship.

MORE: LIV Golf, what we know and what we don't

Interviews with a broad spectrum of sources, including PGA Tour players, employees, agents and caddies, produced various perspectives, but consistently portrayed DeChambeau and Reed as two elite talents whose play was often overshadowed by their difficult behavior. Representatives for DeChambeau and Reed did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. 

“It began to feel like an unwinnable situation,” a tour source said of DeChambeau. “It was clear that he did not feel like he had to play by anyone’s rules.”

MORE: Phil Mickelson holds his first press conference after taking time off from golf

DeChambeau’s defiant and often erratic behavior began shortly after he played his way onto the PGA Tour in 2016. At an AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am early in his career, DeChambeau unleashed a profanity-laced tirade on a volunteer who failed to spot his errant ball. The incident was reported up the chain of command and, per sources familiar with the tour’s operations, almost certainly resulted in discipline. The tour didn’t speak to the incident, as is their long-standing policy, but according to one tour player, a similar situation played out years later at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Bryson DeChambeau plays his tee shot on the 17th hole during Day One of the 2021 Saudi International.

Ross Kinnaird

In the summer of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, tour officials and volunteers were instructed to be particularly conscious of where people could and could not go. After pounding range balls long after sundown, DeChambeau attempted to enter a building without his credential. When he was denied access, he grew agitated. Shortly thereafter, a tour official addressed the incident with an adamant DeChambeau, who was dumbfounded that the volunteer did not recognize him. This was the same week he objected to a cameraman following him for too long, after which he took a thinly veiled shot at the PGA Tour.

“I understand it’s his job to video me,” DeChambeau said, “but at the same point, I think we need to start protecting our players out here compared to showing a potential vulnerability and hurting someone’s image. I just don’t think that’s necessarily the right thing to do.” He wound up winning the tournament with an emphatic display of his new-found power.

As DeChambeau’s physical transformation and strong play continued to elevate his profile, his relationship with the PGA Tour steadily deteriorated. In his next start after the Rocket Mortgage, at the Memorial, DeChambeau told a rules official that his ruling was “garbage” and bluntly asked for a second opinion. His seminal six-shot victory in the U.S. Open that September was met with groans from Winged Foot members who, with the help of a hot microphone, caught his under-his-breath assessment of the putting surfaces (These greens f***ing suck), objected to the way he treated volunteers and cringed when he listed sponsor after sponsor during his winner interviews. Throughout these semi-frequent blowups, tour officials would try to placate the burgeoning star. With little success.

“He’s a smart guy, and he knows he’s a smart guy, but he’s not as smart as he thinks he is,” says a tour source. “He doesn’t want advice.”

The emergence of the Saudi-backed LIV Tour only exacerbated any rifts. DeChambeau, who is close with Phil Mickelson, came to believe Mickelson’s assertions that the tour was withholding millions of dollars in image rights from its players. In an attempt to monetize a particularly viral highlight—the one with him hoisting his arms in the air after nearly driving a par 5 green at the Arnold Palmer Invitational—DeChambeau released an NFT of an artist’s rendering of the moment.

“Phil was in his ear,” a tour source said.

As rumors about the Saudi-backed league continued to swirl, multiple sources say DeChambeau was simultaneously reassuring PGA Tour officials in private while publicly bashing the tour and espousing the virtues of LIV. One source remembers a particularly awkward encounter when DeChambeau sang the praises of the Saudi-backed venture while playing in a pro-am with an executive from Rocket Mortgage, a corporate sponsor of the PGA Tour and of DeChambeau.

In the summer of 2021, DeChambeau’s feud with Brooks Koepka forced PGA Tour officials—including Monahan—to play mediator in a prolonged spat. Later that summer, DeChambeau drew additional criticism when he claimed he would not get a COVID-19 vaccine because he’d “rather give it to people who need it.” This came at a time when vaccines were readily available across the United States. After his comments were lambasted by traditional and social media, DeChambeau informed tour officials that he would no longer conduct post-round “flash” interviews with print/digital media, a long-honored prerequisite of tour players. Pleas to his representatives were often met with exasperation—for they, too, could not change his mind.

DeChambeau has never been a conformer, and he has shown a willingness to venture into new arenas. He turned to YouTube and Tiktok to connect with his fans, a practice that inevitably clashed with the PGA Tour’s media regulations. A source with direct knowledge of the situation says DeChambeau attempted to bring a film crew onto the course during a practice round, a clear violation of those regulations. They were denied access.

Despite his complaints, DeChambeau joined other top-ranked players—including Dustin Johnson, who also later flipped back to supporting LIV—in releasing statements regarding their futures.

“I want to make it very clear that as long as the best players in the world are playing the PGA Tour, so will I,” he wrote. At present, each of the top 14 players in the world remain committed to the PGA Tour, but DeChambeau has bolted. Just six days before his agent, Brett Falkoff—who has been described as “vastly underpaid, no matter what he’s making”—confirmed that DeChambeau would make the jump to LIV, a reporter at the Memorial asked DeChambeau why he wasn’t listed among the names set to play in LIV’s inaugural event this week in London.

"I think that's mostly … a lot of it is private,” he said, looking a bit flustered. “There's not really any conversations that need to be made about that, other than the fact that every person out here has their own opinion on it. Me, there's obviously a lot of conversation. For me, I personally don't think that at this point in time I'm in a place in my career where I can risk things like that.”

Inside the PGA Tour, however, there was little doubt DeChambeau would make the jump.

“It's like, ‘Look, if you want to go, go,’” Justin Thomas said at the AT&T Byron Nelson. The player he most had in mind, according to a tour source, was DeChambeau. “I mean, there's been plenty of guys that have been advocates of it and have just talked it up all the time, and they have been guys behind the scenes that are saying, ‘I'm going, I'm doing this.’ And like my whole thing is, just go then.”

Patrick Reed lines up a putt on the fifth green during the second round of the 2022 Charles Schwab Challenge.

Carmen Mandato

Now DeChambeau has. The guaranteed money he will receive—more than $100 million according to a well-placed source—surely loomed large in DeChambeau’s decision. But so did his icy relationship with the PGA Tour.

“He’s going to LIV because he wants to be loved, and he doesn’t feel like he’s getting that on the PGA Tour,” said one high-profile player.

Reed’s exit is similarly unsurprising given his history with the PGA Tour. The gripes by “Team Reed” with the tour were so frequent that his wife, Justine, had a direct line of communication with a high-ranking tour official. The two would speak often about what Justine perceived to be unfair treatment of her husband. The complaints, many of which were aired publicly by the usegolfFACTS Twitter account, which is widely believed to be associated with the Reed family, were constant. They didn’t like his tee times. They didn’t like his pairings. They wondered why he didn’t get asked for a pre-tournament press conference. Then they were upset that he was getting asked so often for interviews. And the complaints came despite the tour’s best efforts to protect Reed’s image, even after a number of dust-ups—including his rules violation at the 2019 Hero World Challenge and his caddie’s physical altercation with a fan during the following week’s Presidents Cup.

One tour official described Reed’s inner circle as the single most difficult group they’ve had to deal with on the PGA Tour. And that inner circle kept changing—while DeChambeau has had the same agent for his entire career, Reed has cycled through multiple managers.

“He’d hire one guy to bridge the gap with the tour,” says a source, “and then the guy will say ‘hey, the tour isn’t being so bad here,’ and then he’d fire the guy for not telling him what he wanted to hear.”

It’s hardly a surprise, then, that DeChambeau and Reed would leave the PGA Tour for boatloads of cash and a fresh start with a new tour. Perhaps LIV Golf officials will find common ground with the pair that their counterparts on the PGA Tour never could.

Brooks Koepka becomes latest star golfer to leave PGA Tour for LIV Golf Series, sources confirm

• Senior college football writer
• Author of seven books on college football
• Graduate of the University of Georgia

Four-time major champion Brooks Koepka is the latest golfer to defect from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf Invitational Series, sources have confirmed to ESPN.

Koepka, 32, is one of the highest-profile players to join the breakaway circuit, which is being funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and is fronted by two-time Open winner Greg Norman .

LIV Golf is expected to announce the addition of Koepka in the coming days, sources have confirmed. Koepka, who is ranked 19th in the Official World Golf Ranking, is expected to compete in the first LIV Golf event in the United States, at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon, starting June 30.

Koepka's pending departure from the PGA Tour was first reported Tuesday by the Telegraph of London.

LIV Golf announced later Tuesday that Abraham Ancer , who is ranked 20th in the world, also is leaving the PGA Tour for the new series.

"Abraham Ancer has been a rising star who's established himself as one of the world's top golfers in a very short period of time. He is a consistent contender which continues to elevate our competition," Norman said in a statement. "Abraham's global reach and star power in Mexico and Latin America makes him a great fit for LIV Golf, which is committed to growing the sport on a global scale, particularly in new and emerging markets. We are thrilled to have him on board and look forward to having him in the field in Portland and beyond."

Earlier Tuesday, world No. 4 Collin Morikawa denied rumors that he also was planning to join LIV Golf, tweeting that he is "here to stay" on the PGA Tour and "nothing has changed."

To state for the record, once again, you all are absolutely wrong. I've said it since February at Riviera that I'm here to stay on the @PGATOUR and nothing has changed. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some cereal to pour in my milk — Collin Morikawa (@collin_morikawa) June 21, 2022

LIV Golf has now signed eight of the top 50 players in the world; Bryson DeChambeau (ranked 30th) and Patrick Reed (38th) are expected to compete in the event in Portland as well.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan suspended 17 players, including two-time major winner Dustin Johnson and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson , for competing in LIV Golf's inaugural event outside London two weeks ago. Monahan had said that tour players who competed in future LIV Golf tournaments without a conflicting-event release would face similar punishment.

Monahan is meeting with players Tuesday morning at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut. The PGA Tour's players advisory council also was meeting Tuesday.

Koepka, who is 84th in the FedEx Cup standings, remained in the field for the Travelers Championship, though he was not at the meeting at the TPC River Highlands.

Monahan is scheduled to speak with media Wednesday.

In 2019, Koepka became the first player in history to hold back-to-back victories in two major championships simultaneously; he won the U.S. Open in 2017-18 and the PGA Championship in 2018-19.

Koepka joins his longtime friend Johnson and his brother, Chase Koepka , who also competed in the London-based LIV event.

Koepka was the No. 1 player in the world for 47 weeks but has been bothered by back, hip and wrist injuries in recent months. Koepka has two top-10s in 15 starts but didn't fare well in the first three majors this season. He missed the cut at the Masters, tied for 55th at the PGA Championship and was 55th in last week's U.S. Open at The Country Club outside Boston.

Koepka criticized reporters last week for casting a "black cloud" over the U.S. Open with questions about LIV Golf.

"I'm here at the U.S. Open," he said. "I'm ready to play the U.S. Open, and I think it kind of sucks, too, you are all throwing this black cloud over the U.S. Open. It's one of my favorite events. I don't know why you guys keep doing that. The more legs you give [LIV Golf], the more you keep talking about it."

Ancer, a dual citizen of Mexico and the U.S., played at Oklahoma. He claimed his first and only PGA Tour victory at the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis in August. He also finished in the top 10 in each of the past two PGA Championships, including a tie for ninth at Southern Hills last month.

Ancer pulled out of last week's U.S. Open at the last minute, citing illness. He is not in the field for the Travelers.

Ancer was one of the bright spots for the International Team in the 2019 Presidents Cup in Melbourne, Australia. He had a 3-1-1 record, with his only loss coming against Tiger Woods in a singles match.

• On SI On SI On SI
• swimsuit si swimsuit si swimsuit
• sportsbook si sportsbook si sportsbook
• tickets si tickets si tickets
• shop si shop si shop
• Free Agency
• golf golf golf
• home home home
• news news news
• leaderboard leaderboard leaderboard
• schedules schedules schedules
• si rankings si rankings si rankings
• travel travel travel
• instruction instruction instruction
• gear gear gear
• betting betting betting

PGA Tour Loses Longtime Sponsor As Wells Fargo to Leave After 2024

• Author: John Schwarb

A tough week for the PGA Tour continued on Thursday with the announcement of a longtime sponsor leaving after next season.

Wells Fargo, sponsor since 2011 of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C., will not renew after 2024. The departure was first reported by the Charlotte Business Journal and Sports Illustrated obtained a statement from the company.

"Wells Fargo is not renewing the Wells Fargo Championship as a Signature Event in 2025 and beyond," the statement read. "We are incredibly proud of the 20+ year history of the Championship. The tournament has generated significant local impact and delighted golf fans in Charlotte and across the country. Since 2003, the Wells Fargo Championship has generated more than $30 million in support of numerous charitable foundations."

Wyndham Clark won the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship. The sponsor is departing after the 2024 event.

Jim Dedmon/USA TODAY Sports

The Wells Fargo Championship received elevated status on the PGA Tour in 2023, part of the Tour's efforts to better compensate players in the wake of LIV Golf's existence. It had a $20 million purse, up from $9 million in 2022, and Wyndham Clark claimed $3.6 million for winning .

The event retains its status for 2024 in what the Tour is now calling "signature" events , with a new no-cut format, a limited field of 70 to 80 players and the same $20 million purse but with 20% distributed to the winner instead of the Tour's usual 18%—in other words $4 million, the same as the winner's check in a LIV Golf event.

But those increased purse costs will be borne by the tournaments and their sponsors starting in 2025 as part of a new funding model first reported by  Sports Business Journal .

In interviews with several tournament directors and officials, Sports Illustrated found that "tournaments are not happy at all," with one tournament director explaining that the Tour is "asking each tournament for a large fee and a revenue share."

Those fees will be based on the type of event and a signature event like Wells Fargo would likely be on the hook for a higher fee with its status and purse.

One tournament director said that sponsors were "saying they won’t do it, they’ve had enough."

On Wednesday, world No. 3 Jon Rahm announced he was leaving the PGA Tour to join LIV Golf . He last played the Wells Fargo Championship in 2021, missing the cut.

• Summer Racing Northeast
• Champions League
• Motor Sports
• High School
• Shop Northeast
• PBR Northeast
• 3ICE Northeast
• Stubhub Northeast
• Play Golf Northeast

Dustin Johnson resigns PGA Tour membership for LIV Golf: Former world No. 1 unsure about major status

Johnson appears content on playing for liv golf no matter the consequences elsewhere.

Dustin Johnson became the latest player to officially resign from his membership on the PGA Tour on Tuesday. Johnson's decision is more surprising than that made by others -- Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace have all resigned as well -- as the 37-year-old simply had more to lose as he was on the cusp of securing a lifetime membership on the PGA Tour with more than 20 wins while in the midst of his 15th season on tour.

"For right now, I resign my membership from the Tour. I am going to play here for now, and that's the plan," Johnson said Tuesday. "But what the consequences are going to be, I obviously can't comment on how the Tour is going to handle them."

Despite stepping away from the PGA Tour, Johnson has every intention on playing in the four major championships, echoing what Phil Mickelson said in his statement Monday. With his 2020 Masters victory, the American not only has a lifetime exemption into the year's first major championship, but he is also exempt for the PGA Championship and Open Championship through 2025 as well as the U.S. Open through 2026.

"I can't answer for the majors, but hopefully they'll allow us to play," said Johnson. "I am exempt for the majors, so I plan on playing there unless I hear otherwise."

That would mean we could see Johnson on U.S. soil next week at The Country Club for the third major championship of the year, the 2022 U.S. Open.

However, it is unlikely that we see him at the Ryder Cup. He has represented the United States team five times in the Ryder Cup -- plus four more in Presidents Cup -- including last fall at Whistling Straits where he garnered a 5-0-0 record and became the first man from the U.S. to post a perfect record in a Ryder Cup since 1979.

"Hopefully, obviously, all things are subject to change," Johnson said. "I would just have to agree with what Graeme [McDowell] said. Hopefully, at some point, it will change, and we will be able to participate; but if it doesn't, it was another thing that I really had to think long and hard about. Ultimately, I decided to come do this and play out here. Like I said, I am excited about it. 

"Obviously, the Ryder Cup is unbelievable, and it's something that has definitely meant a lot to me. I am proud to say I have played and represented my country. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to do that again, but you know, I don't make the rules."

Our Latest Golf Stories

Round 1 tee times, pairings for 2024 Tour Championship

Patrick mcdonald • 1 min read.

2024 Tour Championship odds, field, picks, predictions

Cbs sports staff • 3 min read.

2024 Tour Championship odds, Scottie Scheffler picks

2024 tour championship odds, computer picks, cbs sports staff • 4 min read.

Small moments affect Keegan Bradley's career

Kyle porter • 4 min read.

2024 FedEx Cup standings, playoffs schedule, purses

Kyle porter • 5 min read, share video.

Dustin Johnson resigns from PGA Tour for LIV Golf

How small moments led to big year for Bradley

Updated FedEx Cup Playoffs standings

Women's Open: Lydia Ko wins third major championship

2024 Presidents Cup teams: Qualifiers set after BMW

Purse, payouts for the 2024 BMW Championship

Schauffele points out issues with golf prize money

Spieth set to undergo left wrist surgery 'ASAP'

Davis Love III enthused about golf's young stars

• Today's news
• Reviews and deals
• Climate change
• 2024 election
• Fall allergies
• Health news
• Mental health
• Sexual health
• Family health
• So mini ways
• Unapologetically
• Buying guides

Entertainment

• How to Watch
• My Portfolio
• Latest News
• Stock Market
• Biden Economy
• Stocks: Most Actives
• Stocks: Gainers
• Stocks: Losers
• Trending Tickers
• World Indices
• US Treasury Bonds Rates
• Top Mutual Funds
• Options: Highest Open Interest
• Options: Highest Implied Volatility
• Basic Materials
• Communication Services
• Consumer Cyclical
• Consumer Defensive
• Financial Services
• Industrials
• Real Estate
• Stock Comparison
• Advanced Chart
• Currency Converter
• Credit Cards
• Balance Transfer Cards
• Cash-back Cards
• Rewards Cards
• Travel Cards
• Credit Card Offers
• Best Free Checking
• Student Loans
• Personal Loans
• Car insurance
• Mortgage Refinancing
• Mortgage Calculator
• Morning Brief
• Market Domination
• Market Domination Overtime
• Asking for a Trend
• Opening Bid
• Stocks in Translation
• Lead This Way
• Good Buy or Goodbye?
• Financial Freestyle
• Capitol Gains
• Fantasy football
• Pro Pick 'Em
• College Pick 'Em
• Fantasy baseball
• Fantasy hockey
• Fantasy basketball
• Download the app
• Daily fantasy
• Scores and schedules
• GameChannel
• World Baseball Classic
• Premier League
• CONCACAF League
• Champions League
• Motorsports
• Horse racing
• Newsletters

New on Yahoo

• Privacy Dashboard

Yahoo Finance

Why top pga tour players are fleeing to saudi-backed liv golf.

Yahoo Finance reporter Josh Schafer explains why some of the top golfers in the world are opting out of the PGA Tour in favor of a Saudi-backed league and how people are reacting.

Video Transcript

DAVE BRIGGS: Thank you, Seana. The biggest rivalry in sports at this very strange moment comes from the world of golf, and it's not between players, but actually between leagues or governing bodies in this case. It involves geopolitics and two of the biggest names in the sport, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson. Both decided to leave the PGA TOUR for Saudi-backed LIV Golf. For Johnson, $125 million payday, and Mickelson a rumored $200 million. Here's Johnson explaining the potential blowback.

DUSTIN JOHNSON: Obviously, at this time, it's hard to speak on what the consequences will be, but for right now, you know, I resigned my membership from the TOUR. I'm going to play here for now, and that's the plan. But what the consequences are going to be, obviously, I can't comment on how the tour is going to handle.

DAVE BRIGGS: The TOUR actually decided to allow them to play in the US Open, which is shocking. Our own Josh Schafer is here ahead of LIV Golf's first event coming up this week. Josh, this is a bizarre moment in which we're in, but how did we get here?

JOSH SCHAFER: Yeah, Dave, so to kind of break down what LIV Golf is, why people are upset about it, so to start, its run by Greg Norman actually, famous golfer known as The Shark, Greg Norman. He's the CEO of LIV Golf right now. And so the key thing here, is that the new league is being bankrolled by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. So that's obviously received a lot of backlash, because the Saudis' long history of humanitarian crimes, including the brutal murder of "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

And really what we're seeing here, is golfers taking the money instead of making a humanitarian play and maybe taking a stand against something. And so really what I'd like to point out when we look at the numbers, is $255 million in prize money across eight events. Some of those events are going to be on the same weekend as PGA TOUR events. And when we look at the numbers that Dave mentioned at the beginning there, Dustin Johnson, $125 million deal. He's only made $74 million in the last 15 years of prize money.

Phil Mickelson, probably reportedly signed a $200 million deal. In 30 years, Phil Mickelson one of the most famous golfers, has only made $95 million in prize money. So these guys are making basically double what they've made throughout their careers by signing this deal. Still, is it the right thing to do?

I think the court of public opinion is debating that right now and the PGA TOUR is as well. The PGA TOUR plans to punish some of these guys for being in the TOUR. Dustin Johnson, as he said, we played in that SOT, has already resigned his membership. Phil Mickelson hasn't said much publicly about where he stands on the TOUR, so that's still, we're kind of waiting to find out what happens there.

DAVE BRIGGS: Well, Josh, it was surprising though to hear the USGA say they are still allowed to play in the US Open, because to your point, we expected some stiff punishment for those guys leaving. No word of that yet. They're in a tough spot with Tiger Woods though at the moment, right?

No Tiger Woods at the US Open, and so you see the US Open now, they want some of those stars, right. It's kind of tough for the US Open to take a stand, you have a US Open with no Dustin Johnson, no Tiger Woods, no Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood. These are names we're used to hearing. Phil Mickelson. Names we're used to hearing on Sundays, right, Dave? If you have the US Open without any of these players, they're put in a really tough spot when we're talking about viewership and where the PGA TOUR stands.

And the PGA TOUR certainly doesn't have the money to back the tournament or to back their tournaments the way we're seeing the Saudi-backed tournament. So I think that they're sort of trying to hedge a little bit here and keep popularity in those major tournaments, because right now, you could win this tournament, the LIV Golf tournament this Sunday, Dave, you win $4 million. Scottie Scheffler didn't even win $3 million for winning the Masters, and I'd probably say that's golf's most popular tournament.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: I mean, and that's hard to compete when someone's throwing that kind of money at you. A big thanks to Yahoo Finance's own Josh Shafer.

• Rex Hoggard ,

Trending Teams

Cameron smith outlines reasons why he left tour for liv golf.

• Ryan Lavner ,
• Ryan Lavner

In his first public comments since his controversial move to LIV Golf, Cameron Smith outlined the main reasons why he is leaving behind the PGA Tour – and why it involved more than just a reported nine-figure payday.

Speaking to reporters at The International outside Boston, site of the fourth LIV event, Smith signed with the rival league because he believes LIV is the “future of golf” and acknowledged that the limited schedule will allow him to spend more time each year back home in Australia.

“I’m really excited to be here,” he said in his introductory news conference alongside Marc Leishman, a day after Smith’s long-rumored decision became official. “I think this is the future of golf. I love how it is out here. It’s a little more laidback on the range, the music playing. I love that stuff. I just can’t wait to be a part of this.”

The addition of Smith is arguably LIV’s most important signing yet, as he joins the upstart tour as the defending champion of two of the five biggest stroke-play events of the year, The Open and The Players. Smith said that he has not resigned his Tour membership, even though he will be suspended by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan when Smith tees it up Friday in the first round of the 54-hole event. The same will be true for the rest of the defectors (Leishman, Joaquin Niemann, Harold Varner III, Cameron Tringale, Anirban Lahiri) who make their LIV debuts this week.

Smith said that he had been in communication with LIV over the past few months, before he captured his first major title at St. Andrews. A handful of Tour players, including Rory McIlroy, reached out to him to talk through his decision, and he also had a sitdown with Monahan. Still, Smith decided to move on.

“For me, this was the right decision,” he said. “I think this is the future of golf. I think it’s been the same for a very, very long time, and it needs to be stirred up a little bit.”

Also factoring in Smith’s decision was the ability to live in Australia for a few months each year. His family has remained back home even after Smith moved to the U.S. in 2015 to pursue his Tour dreams. LIV is expected to announce an event in Australia, and the condensed league schedule (the season should wrap up in the fall) will allow him more time at home.

“That’s going to be a part of my life that I can’t wait to get back,” he said.

• Golf Channel Digital ,

Unlike many of the players who have bolted for LIV, Smith is exempt into the major championships for at least the next five years after his win at The Open. A few weeks ago, Smith had the opportunity to become the No. 1-ranked player in the world, but his world ranking will soon take a hit with LIV events not currently offering points. LIV’s application to the OWGR board is under review.

“I hope that these world-ranking points will sort themselves out before my exemption is up,” Smith said. “I think to the fans of major-championship golf, it may be a little bit unfair on them. I think majors are about having the best guys in the best fields on the best golf courses. Hopefully, we can sort that out.”

Smith also held out hope that he will be a part of next month’s International Presidents Cup team, even though suspended players are currently ineligible to compete at Quail Hollow. The International team has been decimated by defections, with Smith, Niemann, Abraham Ancer, Louis Oosthuizen and Carlos Ortiz among those who likely would have played in the biennial event.

“I have spoken to Trevor, and Marc has as well – we are still willing to compete in that. I hope we can,” Smith said. “Trevor has become a really good friend of mine over the last couple years, him being on the broadcast team out there. But I hope we can get to Charlotte and represent Trevor and the Internationals.”

DFS Dish: Don’t be afraid to leave Scottie Scheffler out at East Lake

Golfbet News

Change Text Size

He might be the favorite to win it all but don’t be afraid to leave Scottie Scheffler out of your DFS lineups for the TOUR Championship.

Since the FedExCup Playoffs began in 2007, East Lake Golf Club has hosted the 30 golfers who have outlasted the rest and will play for the FedExCup and $25 million bonus.

Newly restored East Lake will now play to par 71, stretch 7,491 yards, and feature new grass surfaces on the tees, fairways, and greens which just might be the help Scheffler needs after faltering the last two seasons.

DraftKings – Top of the board

Scottie Scheffler ($12,200): For the third consecutive August at East Lake, the man from Texas will lead the field of 30. The six-time winner on TOUR in 2024 will look to cap off his excellent year with his first FedExCup. Caught and passed by Rory McIlroy on Sunday in 2022 and blown away by Viktor Hovland last year, the 2024 Masters winner has redemption on his agenda on the newly restored track.

Xander Schauffele ($11,000): Making his eighth consecutive start at East Lake, the Californian cashed T7 or better every visit. The winner on debut in 2017, he has added T2 or better in three more events. Matching the gross tournament scoring record of 19-under last year, he has been in the top three of gross scoring at East Lake in six of his seven appearances. After churning out T2 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and T5 last week at the BMW Championship, it’s all systems go again.

2024 Race for the FedExCup | How It Works

Overvalued or undervalued

Sungjae Im ($7,500): Safely a member of the International Presidents Cup team, the Korean can play completely free this week. Making his sixth consecutive appearance at East Lake, the 2022 co-runner-up will look to take it one step further. Sitting seven shots off Scheffler’s FedExCup Starting Strokes lead, he knows it will take a bucket of birdies to catch up. Averaging over four birdies per round, 12th-best on TOUR, he knows the plan to contend.

Collin Morikawa ($9,100): After his big 36 holes to open the proceedings last year (61-64), the two-time major champion ran out of gas on the weekend and faded to T6. After posting big results in April, May, and June, the Californian has signed for his three quietest finishes in the last three events he’s played on TOUR, none of them inside the top 20. The restorations at East Lake employ larger targets off the tee, and the new TifEagle Bermuda greens will ratchet up the concentration on the putting surfaces.

Hideki Matsuyama ($10,100): When a lower back injury forces a player out of a no-cut event with a $20 million purse, I pay attention. Avoiding players with lingering injuries in a field of this magnitude seems like a simple aversion.

Sahith Theegala ($7,000): A wrist injury forced him out of the pro-am last week in Denver. Returning for tournament play, he closed 79-76 on the weekend and finished dead last.

Justin Thomas ($6,800): Without posting anything inside T30 over his last four starts, it is hard to find inspiration. The optimist will point out that his bogey-free 68 on Sunday at Castle Pines pushed him into the field this week and that he's a former FedExCup champion with multiple top fives at East Lake.

Robert MacIntyre ($6,800): The Scotsman also withdrew from the BMW Championship with a lower back injury during the third round.

Makers or breakers

Rory McIlroy ($9,600): The only three-time winner and the only man to win from outside the No. 1 position heading into the week twice, the four-time major champion has the pedigree to steal this again.

Patrick Cantlay ($9,400): After three years of acclimation, the Californian won the 2021 FedExCup as the No. 1 seed. Returning the next two years, he followed with T7 in 2022, and T5 in 2023. Back-to-back paydays inside the first two Playoffs events suggest he’s getting ready to pop at the right time.

Ludvig Åberg ($9,900) and Viktor Hovland ($8,300) : Trying to time these two is like trying to time the stock market: a bad idea. After cashing T40 in Memphis on Bermuda, Aberg shared second spot last week. After cashing T2 in Memphis, Hovland returns to defend his title after T26 last week outside Denver.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($6,300): Making his debut at East Lake, the excellent short-game player from South Africa will have plenty of room off the tee and into the greens this week. Sitting at 20th in Strokes Gained: Total, he saves his shots around and on the greens.

Chris Kirk ($6,200): Posting T9 last week, the Atlanta native forced himself through the backdoor and into the field this week. Most will not remember that he led the 2014 FedExCup going into East Lake. Finishing T4 wasn’t enough as Billy Horschel won the BMW Championship and TOUR Championship to nip him for FedExCup. Making just his second visit, everyone needs a longshot!

Here’s a look at how I would devise a six-team roster this week while staying below the $50,000 salary cap offered for DraftKings contests.

• Xander Schauffele ($11,100)
• Rory McIlroy ($9,600)
• Patrick Cantlay ($9,400)
• Sungjae Im ($7,500)
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($6,300)
• Chris Kirk ($6,200)

The likely reason why some LIV players are resigning their PGA Tour membership and Mickelson has not

Despite CEO of LIV Golf Greg Norman saying that it was unnecessary, most of the golfers who have decided to join LIV have resigned their PGA Tour membership.

• Related:   Dustin Johnson RESIGNS from PGA Tour making him ineligible for future Ryder Cups

Kevin Na was the first to publicly announce his resignation from the PGA Tour, to which Norman told the Associated Press:

“I’m a bit surprised, actually. The players don’t have to resign from the Tour. That was Kevin’s decision for whatever reason he wanted to make it. I respect the man for making a bold decision. I respect the person for wanting to come on board with us, because he knows he has a great opportunity with LIV.”

• Related:   ‘Eager to cash his conscience for a check’ – Leading analyst savages Mickelson’s LIV statement

“I’ll applaud him for it, but he didn’t have to, from our behalf, because LIV would be there (for him). Like I’ve always said, we’re going to back up the players. I’ll back up the players as much as I need to, to give them their rights to be able to do whatever they want to do as independent contractors.”

Na’s reasoning for resigning is seemingly to avoid any disciplinary action from the PGA Tour.

In the statement he made on Saturday, the 38-year-old used the words “rather than face potential discipline and/or legal action.” He also stated that he “wanted the ‘freedom to play wherever I want and exercising my right as a free agent gives me that opportunity.’”

In regard to Na’s resignation, Golf Digest’s Dan Rapaport said: “Word on the street is Kevin Na will keep his PGA Tour pension despite leaving for LIV. By “resigning” he takes away the possibility of punishment; basically a retirement from the tour, so normal that he’s still entitled to his post-career benefits. Strategic decision.”

Yesterday, more players resigned from the PGA Tour including Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel and Graeme McDowell.

It’s likely that these players have the same reason for resigning from the PGA Tour as Na does, with the best way to avoid punishment from the PGA Tour seemingly to be by no longer being a member of the PGA Tour.

In another bombshell today, former world number one Dustin Johnson also resigned from the PGA Tour.

“It’s hard to speak on what the consequences might be but I’ve resigned my membership of the Tour and that’s the plan for now,'” Johnson said at his pre-tournament press conference at the Centurion Club, while outlining his intention to compete at golf’s four majors, which could be the primary motivator for DJ’s resignation.

Golfweek’s Eamon Lynch speculated that players giving up their Tour card was likely the best way to ensure that they can compete in the majors “That in turn removes the most likely basis on which the USGA might have prevented them playing the U.S. Open this month.”

While the majority of the golfers making the switch to LIV are resigning their Tour cards, there’s one who is adamant about keeping his: Phil Mickelson, who outlined his reason why to  Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig:

“I have not resigned my membership. I worked really hard to earn that lifetime membership. And I’m hopeful that I’ll have the ability to play wherever I want, where it’s the PGA Tour, LIV or wherever else I want.’’

Eamon Lynch also laid out the case for why Mickelson may be attempting to hold on to his Tour card, telling Golf Channel :

“This relationship with the USGA has always been combative, it’s a hostile relationship, and I probably think that he knows that the USGA would not necessarily be that keen on seeing Phil here. They don’t want the circus of what’s going to go on around it, and I think Phil would probably enjoy bringing that circus, and he’s also putting himself out there as the potential plaintiff in chief for the Saudis here. As to settle the question of what the status of LIV players will be in the majors.”

Should the PGA Tour discipline Mickelson the situation may well end up as a court case that could determine plenty.

More from the 19th Hole

• 86-year-old Gary Player shows off remarkable club head and ball speed numbers
• ‘Absolutely disgusting’ – LPGA pro blasts Augusta National for its role in major venue change
• ‘Get it out of my face, man!’ – Brooks Koepka snatches phone from fan during tense exchange

Everything Phil Mickelson said as he is GRILLED by media at first LIV press conference

‘Eager to cash his conscience for a check’ – Leading analyst savages Mickelson’s LIV statement

You may like

‘he didn’t say anything to me’ – max greyserman shares his perspective of matt kuchar’s controversial walkoff.

A few weeks ago, Matt Kuchar hit his drive left of the 18th fairway at Sedgefield Country Club as darkness began to threaten the conclusion of play on Sunday night at the Wyndham Championship.

His playing partners, Chad Ramey and Max Greyserman, were seemingly out of the hunt for first place and looking to finish the hole to get out of Greensboro, North Carolina. Kuchar, on the other hand, decided to mark his ball and tell the officials he was done playing for the night, opting to come back Monday to finish.

Kuchar spoke with the media that Sunday night, saying he was making that decision in part due to Greyserman.

“I was trying to set an example for Max, ” Kuchar said.

“W e were so far past when we should’ve stopped playing. We saw what Max did on hole 16 (four-putting for a double bogey) – they should’ve blown the horn there.

“I feel bad , the poor kid should’ve won this tournament. By me not playing, it may show Max he has an important shot to hit .”

While speaking with Dan Rappaport of Barstool Sports , Max Greyserman said he “ wasn’t sure why he said that ” while giving his version of what happened.

“H e said that he was trying to send a message to [Greyserman ]”, Rappaport said.

“N o, not at all, ” Greyserman replied. “ He didn’t say anything to me, to be honest. I’m not really sure why he said that in his post-round press conference .”

“W e go to 18 tee, it’s obviously very dark already. So, we walk up to the tee , we can’t see down the hill. It seems like he’s playing fast, and what you do when it’s getting dark is, you want to tee off, you want to finish, ” Greyserman added. “ It looked like he was just trying to get the tee in the ground and hit quickly , because it seems like he wanted to finish .”

“W e couldn’t see and there was no one telling us that there were people in the fairway. That wasn’t on purpose , we had no idea .”

“I tried to hole the shot, and if not, I can’t see anything, it doesn’t matter anyway, ” Greyserman added. “ So, I’m like, let’s just finish. I hit my shot, and I look over at Kuchar and he’s in the trees and he just marked his ball and never said really anything. We just keep going and he’s like, ‘ yeah , I’m going to come back in the morning .’

“I don’t really know why , again , he never said anything to me. Not sure why he said that in the media. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I think he needed TIO relief. Maybe that was going to take a lot of time, which is fine. For him to come out and say that he was trying to do something in service to me, I thought that was pretty strange .”

Max added that he was aware that Rai had made birdie on 17, meaning he was two behind with virtually no chance to win .

Kuchar did indeed need TIO relief, which would have taken some time.

Matt Kuchar said he wanted to send a message to Max Greyserman when he opted to come back Monday morning to finish the Wyndham. Here’s Max’s side: “He never said anything to me…for him to say he was trying to do something in service to me, I thought that was pretty strange.” pic.twitter.com/XecMTfRXCt — Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) August 22, 2024

The 46-year-old came back Monday morning and would eventually make par, which is a result that seemed unlikely if he were to finish Sunday night.

• Report: Tour insider claims Jon Rahm would give money back to Saudis to rejoin PGA Tour
• Matt Kuchar’s caddie has his say following 72nd hole walk off criticism
• ‘I despise it’ – Billy Horschel sounds off on his main gripe with FedEx Cup broadcast
• Find out more about GolfWRX and the GolfWRX forums.

While you’re here, check out the latest episode of the Three Swing Challenge.

Pamela Anderson’s son has membership revoked from prestigious golf club

According to TMZ , Brandon Thomas Lee, who’s the son of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, was kicked out of Sherwood Country Club earlier this month.

Sherwood Country Club is an exclusive club in California set at the base of the Santa Monica Mountains with less than 400 members and has hosted the ZOZO Championship on the PGA Tour in the past.

The report indicates that Lee was kicked out for “bad behavior.”

Lee was allegedly driving too close to the green on the 13th hole when a homeowner on the property began to record him. The member then sent the video to the club and Lee’s membership was revoked, calling it the “final straw.”

Sources told TMZ that Brandon started screaming at the homeowner, and things got heated.

Time will tell which club Lee will move his shenanigans to in the future.

PGA Tour pro gives breakdown of the free stuff players get access to on tour

PGA Tour player, Michael Kim, has been incredibly engaging with fans over the past few years on his X account.

On Monday, Kim posted an answer to a question that he is frequently asked: What free stuff do professional golfers get access to?

Many of you asked what kind of free stuff we get access to so here’s a small breakdown: Golf clubs: If you play it during the tournament, it’s almost unlimited. If you’re a free agent, you can test whatever you want and mostly get anything you need. A new driver for 5 weeks in a… — Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) August 17, 2024

Here’s details of Kim’s full breakdown below:

Many of you asked what kind of free stuff we get access to so here’s a small breakdown:

“ Golf clubs: If you play it during the tournament, it’s almost unlimited. If you’re a free agent, you can test whatever you want and mostly get anything you need. A new driver for five weeks in a row? It’s probably ok, but most don’t since it’s likely not going to be good for your scores. Putters? I’m sure at a certain point, they’ll say no, especially if it’s a limited quantity, but most companies are very willing to give you stuff as long as you’re serious about using them during the tournament. Free clubs sound super cool, and at first, you’re a kid in a toy store. But at a certain point, you get really numb to it all. The coolest putters and shafts all just blend in, and at the end of the day, they are just equipment to do my job the best that I can. I used to freak out about Circle Ts and whatnot, but as soon as I got free access, it wasn’t nearly as cool.

Golf balls: Titleist gives me 3 dozen every tournament week and during practice weeks, I ask them to send a shipment of balls and usually comes with 6-10 dozen boxes. That’ll last me for a while. I’ve never had them say no for some extra golf balls but I never ask for more than I need.

Travel: United airlines, Omni hotels, Avis car rentals are pgatour partners so we get decent status on those but some are more useful than others. Idk when the last time I flew United since I live in Dallas.

Other discounts include: FedEx, Bridgestone tires, BMW, At&T, Hyperice. They aren’t crazy discounts by any means but definitely is nice if you want any of their products or services.

Apparel: It REALLY depends on the company. Some are known to be very tough to deal with, and they won’t provide the clothing in a timely manner, and sometimes even the sizes are off. Or sometimes the logos are itchy or the wrong size. A player might not get the warm sweaters and stuff until like March when you don’t need it as much. If you have a great partner @DunningGolf it’s no problem!? I have plenty of clothes, but we don’t get it sent every week, and we definitely do laundry every week. We don’t get scripted outfits every week, as that’s usually just a Major thing. I’ve heard countless stories where guys have signed apparel deals for money but then got out of the deal and just worn free stuff that other companies have sent out because it’s way better quality and reliable.

Shoes: I have two shoes with me, and I’ll switch them out maybe once a month? Maybe every 1.5 months? Certain guys like Billy or JT match their shoes to their outfit and there’s a ton of style and color you can order . I’m on the side that doesn’t change THAT often so I’ve never heard, you’ve ordered too many in a yearr haha “

There you have it! It certainly pays off to be a professional.

While you’re here, take a look at BK’s breakdown of Hideki Matsuyama’s winning WITB. 

Xander Schauffele’s winning WITB: 2024 Open Championship

GolfWRX Members Choice presented by 2nd Swing: Best mallet putter of 2024

Three Swing Challenge: Testing the Edel Array F-2 putter

Tour pro claims Matt Kuchar’s ‘mask slipped’ during controversial Wyndham Championship walkoff

What clubs do equipment free agents choose to use on tour? We found out

Details on Justin Rose’s lead-taped driver shaft, “Rose” iron shafts

Anthony Kim reveals the 3 options he had before joining LIV Golf

Forum Giveaway: TaylorMade P7CB “Proto” irons

Jhonattan Vegas’ winning WITB: 2024 3M Open

Alex Noren WITB 2024 (August)

Alex Noren what’s in the bag accurate as of the BMW Championship. More photos from the event here.  Driver: Callaway...

Rory McIlroy WITB 2024 (August)

Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @8.25) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X (45 inches) 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft:...

Jared du Toit WITB 2024 (August)

Jared du Toit what’s in the bag accurate as of the Albertsons Boise Open.  Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)...

Max Homa WITB 2024 (August)

Max Homa what’s in the bag accurate as of the BMW Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...

Report: Jon Rahm issues fiery response following claims he is desperate to rejoin PGA Tour

Matt Kuchar defends decision to mark his ball on 72nd hole

Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2024 Wyndham Championship

Hideki Matsuyama’s winning WITB: 2024 FedEx St. Jude Championship

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

'I still hate LIV': Golf's civil war is over, but how will pro golfers move on?

Bill Chappell

Rory McIlroy started defense of his title at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto on Thursday. But before play began, he was peppered with questions about the PGA Tour's new merger that ends its spat with LIV Golf. Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images hide caption

Rory McIlroy started defense of his title at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto on Thursday. But before play began, he was peppered with questions about the PGA Tour's new merger that ends its spat with LIV Golf.

For months, Rory McIlroy walked the ramparts of the PGA Tour fortress, besieged by the Saudi-funded LIV Golf. He and other holdouts spoke about staying true to the PGA's traditions, even as their peers accepted millions and millions of dollars in incentive money and guaranteed payouts to join its rival.

Now, McIlroy says, he feels like "a sacrificial lamb," after the PGA Tour made a deal to merge with LIV Golf's backers , the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.

That's not all he's feeling: McIlroy, ranked the world's No. 3, still sees LIV Golf as the enemy.

"I still hate LIV. Like, I hate it. I hope it goes away and I will fully expect that it does," he said.

In a stunning move, PGA Tour agrees to merge with its Saudi-backed rival, LIV Golf

If he sets his personal feelings aside, McIlroy acknowledged, the deal might prove to be a good thing for pro golf. But he also said many details still need to be worked out — from how to compensate golfers who stuck with the PGA, to how to handle pros who want to return from LIV.

PGA players are "furious"

"Players on the PGA Tour are furious," after standing on principles and refusing to accept Saudi money, Brendan Porath, co-host of The Shotgun Start golf podcast, told NPR this week .

"Rory McIlroy passed up an upfront sum of, it could have been $400-$500 million, because he did not like where the money was from and he wanted to defend the status quo," Porath said.

When McIlroy spoke to reporters on Wednesday ahead of the Canadian Open, many were eager to hear his comments about the blockbuster merger between the PGA Tour, Europe's DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

"I love finding out morning news on Twitter," U.S. golfer Collin Morikawa said this week, as the PGA Tour announced its merger with a Saudi fund. He's seen here at right, with Jon Rahm of Spain at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on Friday. Dylan Buell/Getty Images hide caption

"I love finding out morning news on Twitter," U.S. golfer Collin Morikawa said this week, as the PGA Tour announced its merger with a Saudi fund. He's seen here at right, with Jon Rahm of Spain at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on Friday.

A players' meeting after the announcement was "heated," McIlroy said in Toronto. In public remarks, several players are airing frustrations with the secrecy of the deal.

"Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we're merging with a tour that we said we'd never do that with," golfer Mackenzie Hughes said .

Not every player is furious. Padraig Harrington, a PGA loyalist who recently revealed he turned down a chance to join LIV , welcomed news of the merger. While he was surprised the deal came together so quickly, Harrington said, the PGA Tour was right to act, as pressure on the tour would have continued to build.

"Definitely in the financial interest of both sides," he said. "Definitely in the financial interest of the players even though some of those who gain will feel like they're losing."

LIV's ties to Saudi money are a flashpoint

"Critics accuse the LIV players of taking blood money due to the Saudis' abysmal human rights record," as NPR's Tom Goldman reported after LIV Golf launched last summer .

Detractors cite Saudi Arabian nationals' prominent role in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the U.S. assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved the operation leading to the brutal murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

The merger fed accusations of "sportswashing" — that the PGA Tour is allowing a wealthy and oppressive regime to improve its global image not by atoning for its misdeeds, but by attaching itself to pro golf.

Many are also calling PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan a hypocrite, noting that he said one year ago, "I think you'd have to be living under a rock to not know there are significant implications" to players aligning themselves with Saudi Arabia.

The Canadian Open is this week. Here is what PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said at that event one year ago. pic.twitter.com/CtmnK74kbd — Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) June 6, 2023

Invoking families who lost loved ones on 9/11, he added, "I would ask any player that has left or any player that would ever consider leaving, have you ever had to apologize for being a member of the PGA Tour?"

When asked about those comments, McIlroy stated, "I said it to Jay yesterday: 'You've galvanized everyone against something, and that thing that you galvanized everyone against, you've now partnered with.' "

LIV's defenders say critics are holding the outfit's deep-pocketed sponsor to an ethical standard they don't use either for other sports or for other entities — such as governments — that do business with Saudi Arabia. They also say pro golfers should be allowed to play where they want, without fearing punishment from the PGA Tour.

Phil Mickelson apologizes for controversial comments about a Saudi-backed golf league

Harrington acknowledged the criticisms, but he also said he hopes that including the Saudi fund could help open avenues for change.

"Yes this is sports washing and yes unfortunately it proves sports washing works," the Irish golfer said via Twitter . "But maybe one positive, inclusion and trade has shown to improve and change countries involved for the better.

"My own country thought it was acceptable to lock up unmarried mothers as late as 1996," he added.

The war may be over, but battles remain

When LIV Golf teed off last June, the PGA Tour immediately suspended 17 LIV players , including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Kevin Na. That didn't stop other top talents from leaving, including Brooks Koepka and Bubba Watson.

For a sense of how deep and wide golf's divide is, consider what retired golfing great Jack Nicklaus said last week, when asked about PGA tournaments barring top LIV players such as reigning PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka and British Open winner Cameron Smith.

"I don't even consider those guys part of the game anymore," Nicklaus said . "I don't mean that in a nasty way," he added.

Harold Varner III (left) is doused by teammate Talor Gooch after Varner won the LIV Golf Invitational - DC at Trump National Golf Club on May 28, in Sterling, Va. The upstart tour will be united along with the PGA Tour, in a blockbuster merger. Rob Carr/Getty Images hide caption

Harold Varner III (left) is doused by teammate Talor Gooch after Varner won the LIV Golf Invitational - DC at Trump National Golf Club on May 28, in Sterling, Va. The upstart tour will be united along with the PGA Tour, in a blockbuster merger.

The new deal could bring out more ire, and not only for golfers at the top of the rankings like Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm and McIlroy, who missed out on lucrative paydays. If golfers who defected from the PGA are allowed to return, they could crowd out golfers on the tour's lower rungs.

For context, LIV opened its current season with 48 players, on 12 four-person teams . The PGA Tour would struggle to absorb them all, as it reserves tour cards for the top 125 players from each year, although golfers get exemptions and other chances to enter tournaments. Overall, the FedEx Cup standings currently list 233 players.

"There still has to be consequences to actions," McIlroy said. "The people that left the PGA Tour irreparably harmed this tour, started litigation against it. Like, we can't just welcome them back in. That's not going to happen."

When he was asked whether players who stayed should be made financially whole, McIlroy didn't hesitate.

Golf has a problem: people are hitting the ball too far

"I mean, the simple answer is yes," he said. "The complex answer is, how does that happen?

That's just one of many details that are not yet known, including how much self-direction the PGA Tour will be able to maintain, and what pro golf will look like.

LIV Golf sought to transform how people watch pro golf, whose hushed tones have accompanied many an afternoon nap. Instead, LIV offered a louder, faster, made-for-TV product. Its tournaments stand apart with their aspect of team play and shotgun starts, in which players tee off on different holes simultaneously.

The rancor around the rift — and now, around the merger — suggests the sport still has some ways to go to heal itself and achieve the global success that Monahan and others in the deal say is now within their grasp.

Advertisement

Who climbed in, who dropped out of the 30-man field for the 2024 tour championship at east lake, share this article.

CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — The race to East Lake for the 2024 Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale has come to an end for all but 30 golfers on the PGA Tour.

For every golfer who raised his stock and played his way into the finale meant someone else had to drop below the cutline. In 2024, there were four such situations.

The biggest rise into the top 30 the 2024 BMW Championship winner, Keegan Bradley, up from No. 50 to No. 4 . Two players suffered the biggest fall of eight spots the wrong way. The 2024 BMW “bubble boy” failed to cling to a top-30 spot which means there’s a new “bubble boy” for the Tour Championship, and that is Justin Thomas, who came into the week 22nd. His final-round 68 was enough to keep him in. Barely. Thomas was on the plane ride home when he found out he made the Atlanta field.

“I’m just going home. Going to go to Jupiter. There’s no need for me to sit here and stress this out all afternoon,” he told reporters before leaving the golf course, feeling like he came up short. “It sucks, but it’s the position I put myself in. I’m happily just going to go home and get a couple nights at home and then hopefully head to Atlanta on Tuesday.”

Well, JT can now make those travel plans.

Before we get to those who dropped out, a round of applause to those who played their way in:

• Keegan Bradley, No. 50 to No. 4
• Adam Scott, No. 41, to No. 14
• Tommy Fleetwood, No. 31 to No. 22
• Chris Kirk, No. 32 to No. 26

Among those falling short were a few of the game’s bigger names.

Here’s a closer look.

Brian Harman – No. 29 to No. 31

Brian Harman hits a shot on the third hole during the third round of the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

Brian Harman entered 29th but a two-spot drop was enough to keep him from advancing. He was hanging around all day and birdied Nos. 11, 13, 14 and 17 but his 18th hole was just brutal, as he found a fairway bunker off the tee, then flew his third shot over the green before two-putting for a double-bogey.

Jason Day – No. 25 to No 33

Jason Day walks to his shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club. (Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports)

Jason Day was the lone golfer in the 2024 BMW field who competed in the last PGA Tour event at Castle Pines, the 2006 International. But this was a tough week for him. He arrived in the 25th spot but dropped seven slots to 32nd.

He had six birdies through 11 holes but he took a triple-bogey 8 on the 14th hole, then followed that up with a double on 15, sinking his chances.

Davis Thompson – No. 26 to No. 34

Davis Thompson plays a shot on the eighth hole during the second round of the 2024 BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Davis Thompson was 26th in the points but slid nine spots to 35, bringing an end to his playoff run.

Denny McCarthy – No. 30 to No. 35

Denny McCarthy hands his putter to his caddie on the third green during the second round of the 2024 BMW Championship at Castle Pines Golf Club. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Denny McCarthy was the “bubble boy” coming into the BMW, sitting in the 30th spot. But after a week of 71-74-69-72, he dropped five spots and will miss East Lake.

Other notables heading home

Max Homa plays his shot from the sixteenth tee box during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Will Zalatoris (No. 38)

Corey Conners (No. 39)

Max Homa (No. 46)

Nick Dunlap (No. 49)

Check out the best equipment you can buy: Best drivers for 2024 | Best irons for 2024 | Best putters for 2024 | Best golf balls for 2024

Most Popular

These 10 players earned the most official money on the pga tour in the 2024 season, see the full field of 30 pga tour golfers advancing to the 2024 tour championship at east lake, 2024 aig women's british open prize money payouts for each lpga player at st. andrews, meet the 12 players representing team europe at the 2024 solheim cup in virginia, 2024 bmw championship prize money payouts for each pga tour player at castle pines, photos: lpga's ik kim announces retirement at st. andrews.

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share by Email

Want the best deal in GOLF?

‘Complete bulls—‘: Pro calls out LIV golfers’ hollow justifications for leaving PGA Tour

Thirty-three-year-old Tour pro Mark Hubbard has been competing on both the Korn Ferry and PGA Tours since 2014. Though he’s still seeking his first PGA Tour win, he’s notched five career top-10s — including two this season.

His status as a week-to-week grinder gives him a fresh perspective on the current state of the game — especially with regard to what the advent of LIV Golf has meant to the pros who aren’t yet household names.

On this week’s episode of Subpar, Hubbard told hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz why he thinks LIV is ultimately a bad thing for golf.

“It’s tough. I can’t blame anybody for going somewhere for $125 million,” he said. “But I don’t think it’s the best thing for golf . And honestly I would say my opinion has changed, because there’s lots of stuff that I was annoyed with the PGA Tour. You know I was in this position in my mindset before I really thought about it like, oh, competition’s good, and stuff like that. But it’s not really a competition. Because we can’t compete with some foreign dictator who has billions and billions and billions of dollars. We can’t compete. If anything, it’s just diluting stuff.”

Hubbard also took issue with the idea that LIV Golf’s disruptive format is a vehicle for the game’s growth.

PGA Tour pro Mark Hubbard is anti-LIV (with one small exception)

“This facade of, oh, we’re growing the game, and we’re doing all this stuff. Even the interviews from the players is complete bulls— in my opinion,” Hubbard said. “‘Oh, we want to spend more time.’ Well, if that’s the case, then why are you still trying to play the PGA Tour? Because you’re going to play 14, 15 events with them, then you want to play another 10? Now you’re playing the same exact amount. Just say you went over there for the money.

“And all this stuff about growing the game. The PGA Tour does a lot of things poorly, they do a great job of growing the game,” he continued. “We have three international tours, developmental tours with Canada, China and Latin America. Every community we go into, we crush it with charity. We do more for charity than the other three or four major sports combined.”

Hubbard said that he’s far more impressed with the PGA Tour’s efforts to grow that game than what he’s seen so far with LIV.

“I’ve seen probably a thousand kids out here from the First Tee and all these different programs,” Hubbard said. “There’s no way that tour — 50 super-rich guys playing a 54-hole event — is growing the game. They’re people who have already made their money, they’re at the end of their career. That’s not growing the game. The Tour already does a good job.”

Hubbard said he did like one aspect of LIV Golf’s setup, however.

“The team golf is a good idea, a lot of it is cool, but like, in terms of the big picture, what’s best for the overall game of golf, I’m pretty nervous about the future,” he concluded.

For more from Hubbard, including how he got the nickname “Homeless,” check out the full interview below.

Latest In News

Lydia ko's gas-station mindset, rory's broken driver, korda's 'mess up' | monday finish, 2024 tour championship starting scores for all 30 golfers at fedex cup finale, 2024 tour championship: how to watch, tv coverage, streaming info, tee times, 2024 tour championship odds: last week's runner-up is our long shot at east lake.

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.

• Author Twitter Account
• Author Instagram Account

Related Articles

Can a hypnotist help your golf game a major winner weighs in, this broadcaster has some ideas to speed up the pga tour's pace of play, outrageous david feherty stories ask his old pal, ian baker-finch, matt ryan's favorite golf courses have a falcons flair, 'it's kind of like therapy': matt ryan describes golf relationship since nfl retirement, former nfl qb matt ryan talks golf, taking hits, broadcasting and more, here's how this ex-nba star has used golf to fill the void, ex-nba player reveals 'most embarrassing' story from lpga pro-am, why this pro is sepp straka's good-luck charm.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Dustin Johnson Resigns From PGA Tour and Commits to Rival LIV Golf

Johnson’s resignation could help him avoid a suspension or a lifetime ban from the tour’s commissioner, Jay Monahan, who has indicated that punishment on that level was a possibility.

By Bill Pennington

Dustin Johnson, a two-time major golf champion, surrendered his PGA Tour status on Tuesday and said that for the immediate future he planned only to play in major tournaments and events sponsored by the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit.

Appearing at a news conference in advance of the first of eight LIV Golf events in 2022 that will begin Thursday at the Centurion Club outside London, Johnson also occasionally used terms like “right now” and “for now” when describing his decision to bolt from the PGA Tour.

“For right now, I’ve resigned my membership on the tour,” said Johnson, who joined the PGA Tour in 2008 and is ranked 15th in the world. He added that he would play the LIV tour, “for now, that’s the plan.”

The breakaway tour headlined by Greg Norman has promised hefty appearance fees and a format that guarantees every entrant six-figure payouts, with 48 players competing for $25 million in prize money in a 54-hole format with no cut. A report last week in The Telegraph said Johnson was paid $125 million to join LIV Golf, whose major shareholder is the Public Investment Fund , the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia worth more than $600 billion.

Johnson’s PGA Tour resignation could help him avoid a suspension or a lifetime ban from the tour’s commissioner, Jay Monahan, who has indicated that punishment on that level was a possibility. But so far, the United States-based PGA Tour has remained quiet as Johnson and others, such as Phil Mickelson , the six-time major champion who has earned more than $94 million at tour events, have signaled that they will play in this week’s LIV Golf tournament. Monahan’s lack of response may just be a bit of institutional timing. PGA Tour players are not in violation of any of the tour’s regulations until they actually play in a rival event without permission — and the tour has not given its consent for any players requesting to play this week in England.

One thing is certain: Under current guidelines, if Johnson is not a member of the PGA Tour, he cannot play in the biennial Ryder Cup, a ballyhooed competition between top golfers from the United States and Europe with a history that dates to 1927. Johnson has played in the Ryder Cup five times, including last year when he was undefeated in five matches and helped lead the United States to a dominating victory.

But on Tuesday, at least in his mind, the door was still open to play in the upcoming Ryder Cups.

“Obviously all things are subject to change,” Johnson said. “Hopefully at some point, it will change and I’ll be able to participate. If it doesn’t, well, it was another thing I really had to think long and hard about. Ultimately, I decided to come to this and play out here.

“The Ryder Cup is unbelievable and something that has definitely meant a lot to me. I’m proud to say I’ve represented my country, and hopefully I’ll get a chance to do that again. But I don’t make the rules.”

Johnson’s eligibility for all the major golf championships is not a certainty, although on Tuesday the United States Golf Association released a statement that it would not bar any player who was eligible. “Our decision regarding our field for the 2022 U.S. Open should not be construed as the USGA supporting an alternative organizing entity, nor supportive of any individual player actions or comments,” the statement said. “Rather, it is simply a response to whether or not the USGA views playing in an alternative event, without the consent of their home tour, an offense that should disqualify them for the U.S. Open.” Johnson qualifies for a spot in the field in multiple ways, not the least of which being that he won the championship in 2016. The same is true for Mickelson, who already has a spot in the 2022 U.S. Open and in next month’s British Open.

Johnson has also qualified for this year’s British Open because of his 2020 Masters victory. The Masters title would normally make him welcome at the Masters for many years to come, as well as at a fourth major, the P.G.A. Championship, for the next five years.

But the Masters is run by Augusta National Golf Club, which has proved in the past that it would make decisions independently. The P.G.A. Championship is governed by the PGA of America. Before that event was held last month, the organization’s chief executive, Seth Waugh, pledged his loyalty to the established PGA Tour, which he referred to as part of golf’s existing ecosystem.

“Our bylaws do say that you have to be a recognized member of a recognized tour in order to be a PGA member somewhere, and therefore eligible to play,” Waugh said, speaking of the P.G.A. Championship.

Asked about the alternative LIV Golf tour, Waugh answered: “We think the structure of — I don’t know if it’s a league, it’s not a league at this point — but the league structure is somewhat flawed.”

How easy it might be for players to try to jockey back and forth between the LIV Golf Invitational series and golf’s biggest events, including the PGA Tour, is not known. Professional golf is largely in uncharted territory, at least in modern times.

The LIV Golf prize money and the reported upfront payments to Johnson, and to Mickelson who received a $200 million contract according to Golf Channel, are staggeringly large in comparison to payouts on the PGA Tour. Players scoring in the bottom half of the field after two rounds in most tour events typically earn nothing. And yet, the leading, young stars of the PGA Tour have nonetheless remained unwaveringly loyal.

Johnson is one of only two top 30 players to join LIV Golf. (Louis Oosthuizen, ranked 21st, is the other.) But the overwhelming majority of the rest in the top 30, who are both the vanguard overtaking the game and generally in their 20s or early 30s, have stood with the PGA Tour.

Johnson is 37, and Oosthuizen is 39 and said on Tuesday that he only planned to play one more year on the PGA Tour. In fact, many of the golfers who have committed to this week’s LIV Golf event have seen a declining world ranking lately: Sergio Garcia, 42, was ranked 10th in the men’s world rankings five years ago is now 57th; Graeme McDowell, 42, was ranked 15th in 2012 and is currently No. 374; Ian Poulter, 46, was ranked 12th a decade ago and is now 92nd; Martin Kaymer, 37, the world’s top-ranked men’s golfer in 2011 is now ranked 215th.

There is no inevitability that the PGA Tour’s young guard will maintain their solidarity, especially after next month’s British Open, the last major of the season, is contested. The PGA Tour schedule winds down in August when it turns toward the season-ending FedEx Cup playoffs, which awards the winner an ample $15 million. But some tour players who do not qualify for those playoffs might be enticed to enter some of the final, lucrative LIV Golf events in September and October.

That might especially be true for golfers with lesser tour status, but they would most likely still face a suspension from the PGA Tour that could continue into next year. And perhaps beyond. Is that worth it?

The situation, and the professional golf landscape, is evolving. Johnson, a prominent figure in golf, and Mickelson, a fading, aging — albeit popular — golf personality, have seemed to turn their backs on the status quo. At least temporarily, to hear some of Johnson’s words.

Mickelson, it is worth noting, insisted on Tuesday that he planned to keep the lifetime PGA Tour membership he has earned in his long career.

If it sounds knotty, keep in mind it could become more tangled. The next stage of golf’s burgeoning face-off may be in court.

Inside the World of Sports

Dive deeper into the people, issues and trends shaping professional, collegiate and amateur athletics..

Battle of the Qualifiers : Thirty-two spots remain unclaimed in the U.S. Open, and the math is as brutal as it is simple. Win three matches, and you’re in .

Horse Racing’s Next Big Star: Thorpedo Anna, Kenny McPeek’s 3-year-old, is t rying to be the first filly since 1915 to win the Travers Stakes . It could be a boon for a sport whose popularity has dipped.

Trials of a Paralympian :  Christie Raleigh Crossley has trained for most of her life to be an Olympic swimmer. After surviving two car crashes and a brain tumor, she is finally going for gold .

Feeling Blindsided: The football player Michael Oher was made famous by “The Blind Side.” But he has a different story to tel l.

Recruiting Athletes for Pit Crews: Top NASCAR teams have found that former college football players often make the best prospects for their pit crews .