Dustin Johnson resigns from PGA Tour to play in LIV Invitational Series
The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational has made headlines for the wrong reasons, but the two-time major champion has made his pick as clear as day.
The situation surrounding the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational, which kicks off this week, is unravelling, as more golfers made a clear stance on their desire to play in the lucrative Saudi-backed tournament. The latest to do so is the American two-time major champion, Dustin Johnson, who confirmed on Tuesday that he had resigned from the PGA Tour for this purpose.
Money talks: Johnson picks LIV over Tour card
“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 told a news conference at the Centurion Club, north of London, host of the first of eight events.
Johnson is the second golfer to resign from the PGA Tour to join the contentious new event which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Fellow American Kevin Na said he had also chosen that option last week.
The PGA Tour last week reiterated a warning to members that those featuring in the breakaway circuit would be ‘subject to disciplinary action’.
Three months ago, the PGA Tour paid Phil Mickelson $6 million and Dustin Johnson $3 million as part of the Player Impact Program. Now they've both essentially left the tour behind for LIV Golf.
— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 6, 2022
Money talks. The more money, the louder it talks.
On Monday, six-time major champion Phil Mickelson became the highest-profile player to commit, ending a self-imposed hiatus from the sport that began in February, amid a backlash over comments he made about the breakaway series.
🗣️ "Phil Mickelson's got his price."
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) June 6, 2022
🗣️"Does Ryder Cup legacy mean nothing?"
Jamie Weir analyses why certain golfers are joining the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament ⛳👇pic.twitter.com/J1dx8IjC84
Both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have recently declined all requests from members who had asked for releases to compete at Centurion where $25 million is up for grabs, including $4 million for the winner. The lucrative new series will have a novel format with 48 players competing both as individuals and as part of teams.
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Each event will be played over 54 holes rather than the traditional 72 with shotgun starts to facilitate quicker play. Johnson said he still planned to play in this month’s U.S. Open, which he won in 2016, but said the decision to play in the LIV Invitational Series was in the best interests of his family.
“I can’t answer for the majors, but hopefully they’re going to allow us to play. Obviously I’m exempt for the major so I plan on playing there, unless I hear otherwise,” he added.