Dustin Johnson U-turns on PGA Tour commitment after being included in Saudi rebel field

Former world No1 Dustin Johnson has performed an about-turn on his commitment to the PGA Tour and has been included in the initial 42-player list for the opening LIV Golf Invitational Series event at Centurion next weekend.

Past major champion Sergio Garcia is also listed among competitors for the opening event in a field released by the Saudi-backed league on Tuesday that did not include Phil Mickelson.

While six-time major champion Mickelson was not currently on the field list, he could still tee it up June 9-11 at the Centurion Club outside London as six spots in the 48-player event remain open.

Among the other notables included are former world number ones Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, as well as European Ryder Cup veteran Ian Poulter.

The final six players will be announced at a later date, LIV Golf said.

World number 13 Johnson, a two-times major champion, is the highest-ranked player in a field that currently includes 26 of the top 150 golfers in the world.

Johnson, who in February said he was “fully committed” to the PGA Tour, ultimately decided the opportunity was too good to pass up, his agent David Winkle told Golf Channel.

“Dustin’s been contemplating this for the past two years and decided it was in his and his family’s best interest to pursue it,” Winkle said.

“He’s never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it’s given him but in the end felt this was too compelling to pass up.”

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 [£19.86m] is up for grabs, including $4m [£3.18m] for the winner.

It is unknown whether those competing in the lucrative breakaway circuit’s first event, which is being held opposite the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open – where the winner will get $1.57m [£1.25m] from an $8.7m [£6.91m] purse – will face…