PGA Tour says Saudi-paid players no longer eligible to compete

Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and different PGA Tour members who teed off within the Saudi-funded golf league Thursday are no longer eligible for PGA Tour occasions beneath penalties Commissioner Jay Monahan shared quickly after the primary tee shot was struck.

Still to be decided is whether or not these players are ever welcome again.

The ban contains participation within the Presidents Cup, which might contain the South African trio of Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace.

The USGA already has stated eligible players can nonetheless compete within the U.S. Open subsequent week. The PGA Tour doesn’t run the majors.

In a memo despatched to tour members, Monahan stated that even when players resigned from the tour forward of the primary LIV Golf Invitational exterior London, they won’t be allowed to play PGA Tour occasions as a nonmember by getting a sponsor exemption.

Nine players have resigned from the PGA Tour, a listing that features Johnson and Sergio Garcia. Mickelson, who earned lifetime membership along with his 45 PGA Tour titles, has not.

Yet to be penalized, however quickly might be beneath the ban, are former main winners Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed. The pairing is reportedly being “announced imminently as the latest big-name players to sign up with the Saudi rebel circuit.”

DeChambeau was reportedly provided a $135 million deal again in February to turn into part of the Super Golf League. Now, the partnership is changing into official.

The SMU product, who’s No. 26 on the PGA Tour’s all-time cash listing, has made simply north of $26 million in his profession. The reported SGL payday would have been price 5 occasions greater than the 28-year-old has made in his skilled profession up to this level — a profession with eight PGA Tour wins, together with the 2020 U.S. Open. DeChambeau received the 2015 NCAA particular person golf championship at SMU, and later that yr turned the fifth participant to win the NCAA and U.S. Amateur titles in the identical yr.

“These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons,” Monahan wrote. “But they can’t demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. The expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners.”

At situation is players competing and not using a conflicting occasion launch from the PGA Tour. Players usually obtain three such releases a yr, however Monahan denied releases for the LIV Golf Invitational as a result of it’s an eight-tournament sequence that has 5 occasions within the United States.

The tour doesn’t permit releases for occasions in North America.

“We have followed the tournament regulations from start to finish in responding to those players who have decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully violating a regulation,” he wrote.

The Associated Press contributed to this publish.

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