LIV Golf Invitation Portland preview: How to watch, who to watch, the course and prize money
The second ever LIV Golf tournament will tee off on the 30th on June, and some of the biggest names that have moved from the PGA are in the field.
The highly controversial, and much anticipated second event of the LIV Golf tour is quickly approaching. The tour has yet to become a mainstream sporting event, so there is a possibility that you aren’t familiar with all the details of the LIV Golf Invitation Portland coming up this week.
Some of golfs biggest names are migrating from the PGA Tour to the newest, richest most attractive competition and it is quickly growing in star power. With that star power comes more interest.
The Invitational in Portland is the second of a scheduled eight events that the LIV tour will put on in it’s inaugural season. Next year the tour led by former PGA great Greg Norman will have 10 events scattered all over the world. It remains to be seen what the new tour will look like considering the number of golf’s biggest names that jumped ship after the first tournament.
Who to watch
With so many stars making the move to the Saudi funded tour, there are plenty of firecrackers to watch for this weekend. There is a field of 48 players, of which 45 have committed to playing Pumpkin Ridge in a few days time.
Guys like Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood will be back for their second event with LIV, while Brooks Kopeka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed will make their debut after joining forces with LIV after the London Invitational earlier this month.
One big difference between a PGA tournament and a LIV event is there are captains, who pick teams and the teams scores are added up at the end of the weekend.
Captians of each of the 21 teams.
STINGER GC: LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN
CRUSHERS GC: BRYSON DECHAMBEAU
MAJESTICKS GC: LEE WESTWOOD
TORQUE GC: HIDETO TANIHARA
4 ACES GC: DUSTIN JOHNSON
CLEEKS GC: MARTIN KAYMER
PUNCH GC: WADE ORMSBY
NIBLICKS GC: GRAEME MCDOWELL
SMASH GC: BROOKS KOEPKA
HYFLYERS GC: PHIL MICKELSON
FIREBALLS GC: SERGIO GARCIA
IRON HEADS GC: KEVIN NA
PGA loyalty
The PGA is still holding on to some legendary players that have cemented their place in the history of the game. Tiger Woods is without question the LIV Golf Tour’s biggest target but he has pledged his allegiance to the PGA.
Matt Fitzpatrick referenced Tiger’s stance while reaffirming his desire to stay with the tour in which he just earned his first victory in the U.S. Open, “Tiger made a quote about legacy and winning trophies and this proved that deep down that’s what I want to do. I finished fifth in a Major and I wasn’t disappointed that I lose out on x thousand more money, I was disappointed that I hadn’t won the tournament, that was what hurt the most, not losing the money. That’s why we all play, that’s certainly why I play because I want to win and I want to be the best, it’s just my competitive nature.”
How to watch
The second ever tournament put on by Norman and LIV is being held from the 30th of June to the 2nd of July at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Course in Portland, Oregon. The first round starts at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, and will be streamed on LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook.
Purse and prize in Portland
The purse at Pumpkin Ridge will be $25 million divided up between the field. The winner will earn $4 million, while the winning team members will get $750,000 dollars in addition to what they earn with their final position at the end of the tournament .
Charl Schwartzel was crowned champion in the inaugural event in London. He took home the $4 million dollar prize on top of another $750,000 because his team, Stinger GC, won the team event.