Dustin Johnson resigns PGA Tour membership to play in Saudi league

ST. ALBANS, England — Two-time main winner Dustin Johnson has resigned his PGA Tour membership to take part in the brand new golf collection backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

The first LIV Golf Invitational, which gives $25 million in prize cash, is going down exterior London on Thursday.

Johnson mentioned on Tuesday he “had to think long and hard” about leaving the PGA Tour, seemingly ending his hopes of competing in the Ryder Cup for the United States.

“Ultimately, I decided to come and do this,” Johnson mentioned at Centurion Club. “I’m excited about this. Obviously the Ryder Cup is unbelievable and something that has meant a lot to me. … Hopefully I’ll get a chance to do that again, but I don’t make the rules.”

Johnson, whose final victory was the Saudi International in 2021, is No. 13 in the world, the highest-ranked participant in the sector. He has held the No. 1 spot in the world longer than any participant since Tiger Woods.

“I chose what is best for me and my family,” Johnson mentioned, explaining his determination to be part of the Saudi enterprise fronted by Greg Norman.

Speaking alongside Johnson, former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell mentioned he had but to hand over his PGA membership.

“I don’t feel I need to,” he mentioned. “I don’t want to get into a legal situation with the PGA Tour.”

Phil Mickelson, a chief recruiter for a Saudi-funded rival league to the PGA Tour, ended his four-month hiatus by additionally including his title to the 48-man discipline for the LIV Golf Invitational.

Mickelson will likely be becoming a member of Johnson, Sergio Garcia and different former main champions in the 54-hole event.

“I am ready to come back to play the game I love but after 32 years this new path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career,” Mickelson mentioned in a assertion posted on social media.

Mickelson additionally mentioned he could be enjoying the final two majors, beginning June 16 in the U.S. Open at The Country Club exterior Boston.

He mentioned the “transformative” new league would permit him to concentrate on a more healthy strategy to life on and off the course. Mickelson didn’t point out the signing payment, which is probably going to be each little bit of the $125 million or extra reportedly paid to Johnson.

It will likely be Mickelson’s first time enjoying since Feb. 6 on the Saudi International, the place he first started to draw consideration to how he was leaning when he accused the PGA Tour of “obnoxious greed” in an interview with Golf Digest.

Two weeks later, Alan Shipnuck revealed excerpts from his unauthorized biography on Mickelson in which the six-time main champion acknowledged Saudi Arabia’s human rights atrocities, together with the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, however mentioned it was price getting concerned if it meant gaining leverage to make modifications on the PGA Tour.

Mickelson additionally mentioned he and three different high gamers paid attorneys to write the working settlement of the brand new league. He later apologized for what he mentioned had been reckless feedback, with out mentioning the PGA Tour.

But then he was out of view for 4 months, skipping the Masters and the PGA Championship, which he had received the 12 months earlier than at age 50 to grow to be the oldest main champion in historical past.

Mickelson apologized once more in Monday’s assertion, including that he “empathizes” with those that disagree together with his determination to go away the PGA Tour for a league funded primarily by the Public Investment Fund in Saudi Arabia.

“His contributions to the sport and connection to fans around the globe cannot be overstated and we are grateful to have him,” mentioned Greg Norman, the CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf Investments. “He strengthens an exciting field for London where we’re proud to launch a new era for golf.”

The PGA Tour didn’t grant releases for any of its 14 members who’ve signed up for the rival collection, an inventory that additionally consists of Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer and Charl Schwartzel.

Five different gamers from the Asian Tour had been added as exemptions.

Mickelson has 45 profession PGA Tour victories and has amassed almost $100 million in profession earnings on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. He received his first tour occasion in 1991 when he was an newbie at Arizona State and his most up-to-date title final 12 months on the PGA.

The LIV Golf Invitational is the primary of eight such tournaments, with 5 of them scheduled for the United States, two of them on programs owned by former President Donald Trump.

+++

Find extra Golf protection from The Dallas Morning News right here.