Former world No.1 Dustin Johnson has turned his back on the PGA Tour after he was listed in the field for next week’s controversial LIV Golf Invitational Series.
The two-time major champion, who’s now ranked No.13 in the world, is the highest-ranked of the 42 players announced, a list that also includes former Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and No.20 Louis Oosthuizen. Australian Matt Jones was also named in the field. All of those players face the prospect of PGA Tour bans for joining the rebel tour.
Other big names on the list are British former world No.1 Lee Westwood and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia, who had both previously indicated their intentions to join.
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Johnson’s inclusion in the field comes despite saying in February that his allegiance was with the PGA Tour when he said: “I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour.”
While he changed his tune in May by adding that he was “excited to see what happens” with the LIV Golf Invitational, it remained to be seen whether he would be a part of it.
“Dustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years. Ultimately, he decided it was in his and his family’s best interest to pursue it,” Johnson’s manager was quoted saying to several leading reporters on Wednesday.
“Dustin has never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it has given him, but in the end, felt this was too compelling to pass up.”
The Saudi Arabian-backed LIV golf event will be led by Australian Greg Norman.
Meanwhile, American Phil Mickelson was not included in the original field.
The 51-year-old hasn’t played since February 6 at the Saudi International, where he infamously accused the PGA Tour of “obnoxious greed”, with the tour not granting players event releases to play the LIV Golf Invitational.
The LIV Golf Invitational will take place on June 9-11 at Centurion Club, just outside of London, United Kingdom.
The event has $35 million in prize money up for grabs, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
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