The controversial Saudi Arabia-backed golf league that is hoping to compete with the PGA Tour could soon announce a player list that includes several well-known golfers.
According to a report from The Telegraph, the LIV Golf Invitational Series, funded by Saudi Arabia and led by golf legend Greg Norman, will likely feature two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson as well as Ryder Cup players Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood. The outlet also connected Kevin Na to the new golf league. None of the four golfers have responded to the report.
Norman told The Telegraph that he invited 250 players and the league would soon be announcing “marquee names” for the tour that kicks off in June.
“We’ve respected the Masters and let it go off, but now our journey is finally coming to fruition — for the players, not for me,” Norman told The Telegraph. “Their rightful place to have what they want. That’s why they are still very, very, very interested. We have players signed, contrary to the white noise you’re hearing out there.”
The 67-year-old former golf star told the London-based newspaper that the high purses will attract more players to the LIV Golf Series. Last month, Norman announced that the series will have a total of $255 million in prize purses across eight events.
The tour will begin at the Centurion Golf Club in London, with other events taking place in New Jersey (at former President Donald Trump’s Bedminster club), Oregon, Boston, Chicago, Bangkok and Saudi Arabia. The Centurion event is scheduled to have a $25 million purse for a 48-player field. Last week’s Masters, for comparison, had a $15 million purse, the event’s highest ever.
“Quite honestly, it doesn’t matter who plays, we’re going to put the event on,” Norman said. “There’s a $4 million first prize. I hope a kid who’s 350th in the world wins. It’ll change his life, his family’s life. And then a few of our events will go by and the top players will see someone winning $6 million, $8 million, and say, ‘Enough is enough, I know I can beat these guys week in, week out with my hands tied behind my back.’”
The new league could shake up the golf world — something Phil Mickelson wanted to take advantage of when he flirted with the tour earlier this year. But that backfired for Lefty, when comments he made to an author writing a book about Mickelson published comments the six-time major champion made about his involvement. The 51-year-old told Alan Shipnuck that he was willing to overlook Saudi Arabia’s human rights concerns if it meant using the then-proposed league as “leverage” against the PGA Tour.
“They’re scary motherf****** to get involved with,” Mickelson said about Saudi Arabia. “We know they killed [Washington Post reporter Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.
“They’ve been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse. As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won’t do what’s right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I’m not sure I even want [the Saudi golf league] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour.”
Many in the golf world condemned Mickelson for his comments, for which he later apologized while also claiming he was off the record. He hasn’t competed since, and he was dropped by sponsors Workday, Amstel Light and KPMG as well as by The American Express PGA Tour event he had previously hosted.
Some were quick to admonish Mickelson. Rory McIlroy called his comments “naive, selfish, egotistical and ignorant.” Other top golfers like Bryson DeChambeau and Dustin Johnson, who were rumored to be joining Norman’s league, backed out after the backlash toward Mickelson and pledged their loyalty to the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour has threatened a lifetime ban for any player who joins the Saudi-funded tour.
The LIV Golf Invitational Series will kick off June 9 at the Centurion event — one week before the U.S. Open.
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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