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Professional golf is at a crossroads, and not everyone knows about it. Rival golf leagues are popping up on every corner like McDonald’s, golfers are rumored to be taking their talents to greener pastures — in terms of money — and it’s tough for the casual golf fan to follow exactly what’s going on.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly known as the European Tour) still command the services of best players in the world — all independent contractors — but now those players have options in the form of LIV Golf and, technically, the Premier Golf League.
The volume surrounding LIV Golf has been turned up since the Genesis Invitational when Phil Mickelson’s controversial remarks regarding the Saudi Arabia regime, which is funding the league, were made public. The six-time major champion has been in hot water for the better part of three months for his integral role in the Saudi-backed golf series. In late April, Mickelson’s agent, Steve Loy, confirmed Lefty’s registration in LIV Golf’s first event.
Slowly but surely, other players are beginning to follow in Mickelson’s footsteps. There have been official announcements made by Robert Garrigus, Lee Westwood and Richard Bland along with unofficial claims made by the likes of Sergio Garcia, Jason Kokrak, and Adam Scott. Kevin Na, Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, and former World No. 1 Martin Kaymer have all been connected to LIV Golf through various reports.
On Tuesday, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman told Sky Sports that 19 of the top 100 players in the world, six of whom rank inside the top 50, have committed to play in the inaugural event next month in London. While names have yet to officially surface, LIV Golf plans to divulge those to the public next week during the PGA Championship.
Hours after Norman spoke to Sky Sports, it was reported that the PGA Tour had denied all player requests for the first LIV Golf event in…
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Source : cbssports
