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bitontheslide · 07-06-2022, 11:13 AM

Two-time major champion Dustin Johnson has resigned his membership of the PGA Tour in order to play in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The former world number one will play all eight events of the fledgling $255m (£200m) series, which starts on Thursday at Centurion Club, London.

Johnson, 37, joined the PGA Tour in 2007 and has won $74m in his career.

"I don't want to play for the rest of my life, this gives me an opportunity to do what I want to do," he said.

In quitting the PGA Tour, the 2020 Masters champion - who is reportedly receiving $150m in appearance fees to play in the series - is giving up his opportunity to play in the Ryder Cup.

He has been on the winning side in two of his five appearances in the biennial competition against Europe, including last year's record victory at Whistling Straits in Michigan.

"The Ryder Cup is unbelievable and has meant a lot to me, but ultimately I decided this was best for me and my family," said the 2016 US Open champion.

"All things are subject to change and hopefully at some point it will change and I will get a chance to do that again."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/61718753

Zizu · 07-06-2022, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bitontheslide

Two-time major champion Dustin Johnson has resigned his membership of the PGA Tour in order to play in the Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The former world number one will play all eight events of the fledgling $255m (£200m) series, which starts on Thursday at Centurion Club, London.

Johnson, 37, joined the PGA Tour in 2007 and has won $74m in his career.

"I don't want to play for the rest of my life, this gives me an opportunity to do what I want to do," he said.

In quitting the PGA Tour, the 2020 Masters champion - who is reportedly receiving $150m in appearance fees to play in the series - is giving up his opportunity to play in the Ryder Cup.

He has been on the winning side in two of his five appearances in the biennial competition against Europe, including last year's record victory at Whistling Straits in Michigan.

"The Ryder Cup is unbelievable and has meant a lot to me, but ultimately I decided this was best for me and my family," said the 2016 US Open champion.

"All things are subject to change and hopefully at some point it will change and I will get a chance to do that again."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/61718753

Phil Mickelson has agreed terms of $200 million and even more shocking... Tiger Woods has been offered I BILLION to sign up for the tour ... he’s yet to accept

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bitontheslide · 07-06-2022, 05:21 PM

The PGA tour and their rest of the world partner have a lot to answer for, i think they brought it on themselves

bitontheslide · 09-06-2022, 04:47 PM

The PGA Tour has suspended all of its members who are playing in this week's Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational.

The tournament, being held at Centurion Club near London, is the most lucrative in the history of the game with a $25m (£20m) prize fund.

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson is among the biggest names to be affected.

LIV Golf issued an immediate reply calling the PGA Tour "vindictive" and said this "deepens the divide between the Tour and its members".

The statement added: "It's troubling that the Tour, an organisation dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing.

"This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."

The PGA Tour released its statement 30 minutes after play had begun at Centurion, where 48 players are competing in the first of eight planned LIV Golf invitational events.

Former world number one Greg Norman is the chief executive of LIV Golf, which has £1.6bn of funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

The first seven events all have the same $25m prize fund, with the winner collecting $4m, while a team element will see the top three teams share $5m. The eighth event is a $50m team championship and will be played in October at Trump Doral in Miami.

The PGA Tour had refused requests for waivers from its members wanting to play in the new series and had threatened to ban those that rebelled.

This decision affects 17 players, including lifetime member Mickelson and his fellow American Dustin Johnson, who announced on Tuesday that he had resigned from the Tour. Mickelson did not deny that he had been given $200m to play in the series, while Johnson is reported to be getting $150m.

Crucially, the PGA Tour has closed a loophole that would potentially have allowed players who have resigned from the tour to play events via sponsors exemptions.

Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood, have, like Johnson, already resigned and will all be affected by that ruling.

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said, in the statement that was issued to all members of the tour: "In accordance with the PGA Tour's tournament regulations, the players competing this week without releases are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup.

"The same fate holds true for any other players who participate in future Saudi Golf League events in violation of our regulations.

"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons.

"But they can't demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. That expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners."

The players will be removed from the FedEx Cup points list following the end of the Canadian Open on Sunday.

The European-based DP World Tour, when contacted by BBC Sport, declined to comment.

James · 06-06-2023, 03:29 PM

PGA Tour and LIV Golf to merge.

Quote:

PGA Tour and LIV Golf agree merger to end split in golf

Last updated 27 minutes ago.

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have agreed to merge with Saudi Arabian-backed circuit LIV Golf in a deal that ends the acrimonious split in the game.

The surprise announcement comes after a year of unprecedented disruption in the men's game following the launch of LIV.

It means pending litigation between the tours will be halted and they will move forward as part of the same enterprise.

"This is a historic day for the game," said Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, golf's leading circuit.

An agreement has been signed that will combine the PGA Tour and LIV's commercial operations and rights into a new, yet-to-be-named for-profit company.

The agreement includes the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour.

The emergence of the LIV circuit fractured men's professional golf over the last year, with several top players lured by its huge prize funds and no-cut events, which include a team format.LIV Golf is backed by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), an entity controlled by the Saudi crown prince and which has been embroiled in anti-trust lawsuits with the PGA Tour over the last year.

"This is a momentous day - to partner in this new entity is energising and exciting," said DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.

Monahan, his counterpart on the PGA Tour, confirmed that the team element to LIV's format will remain in some form going forward.

"This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour's history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV - including the team golf concept - to create an organisation that will benefit players, partners and fans," he added.

An anti-trust lawsuit against the PGA Tour was originally filed last August by 11 golfers before being taken over by LIV Golf. It was scheduled to be heard in 2024.

In April, the DP World Tour won its legal battle against 12 LIV players who committed "serious breaches" of the Tour's code of behaviour by playing in LIV Golf events without its permission.

The subsequent increased fines and suspensions prompted Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson to resign their memberships and become ineligible for this year's Ryder Cup, which will take place from 29 September to 1 October.

Stenson had been selected as captain of the European team for the matches in Rome, but when he joined LIV he was sacked and replaced by Luke Donald.

Those players could now return to the fold, with the new enterprise pledging to establish a "fair and objective process" for players to re-apply for membership after the end of this season.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/65825327