Bubba Watson joins LIV Golf: when will he make his first appearance?
Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson has been confirmed as the latest addition to LIV Golf, but his debut will have to wait.
LIV Golf’s strategy has changed lately, lowballing some of the players they had initially reached out to, but a two-time Masters winner such as Bubba Watson is still a major signing that further strengthens their stance against the PGA Tour.
Watson moves on from the PGA Tour
The 43-year-old was just announced by LIV Golf as the newest member of the 48-player league that debuted this year. Watson departs the PGA Tour after achieving 14 titles and two majors, reaching No. 2 in the world in 2015. LIV Golf’s CEO and commissioner, Greg Norman, had this to say about the signing in an official statement: “Bubba Watson is a tremendous addition to LIV Golf – another major champion joining the growing list of stars on our teams. His game combines the power, innovation, and excitement that the LIV Golf brand represents”.
Watson debuts soon, but not in playing role
LIV Golf’s statement also explains Watson’s schedule for the near future, as the left-hander will make his first appearance in the invitational circuit as an “off-course captain” in Boston next month. The fourth of the eight events LIV Golf offers this season will take place on September 2-4, and the Florida-born golfer will be making on-air appearances on the broadcast coverage of the tournament. Watson is recovering from a knee injury since playing in the PGA Championship in May, and “will compete when healthy at a date to be determined”.
On his Instagram account, Watson said he hopes to be back playing before the start of next season, when LIV Golf’s format will be fully established and the team he will captain, to be revealed in the lead-up to the next event, will be more of a solid creation. He also spoke of his excitement at being involved in creating the identity of his team, of which he will also be a part owner, starting next year.
LIV Golf’s schedule this year
After this weekend’s tournament in Bedminster, where Henrik Stenson and others have made their LIV debuts, there will be a one-month summer break before play resumes in Boston. There will be another event in the States, in Chicago, before the tour heads to Bangkok and Jeddah. LIV Golf’s players will then return to the US and finish their initial season in Miami with the Team Championship.