Johnson "Sudden Entry into Saudi-led LIV Series"... PGA Tour 'Bolt from the Blue'

World No. 13 Johnson to Make LIV Debut on the 9th, PGA Tour Expulsion Status a Hot Topic

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] Dustin Johnson (USA, photo), ranked 13th in the world, will make a surprise appearance in the ‘LIV Golf Invitational Series’.

LIV Golf Investments announced on the 1st (Korean time) 42 of the 48 entrants for the first tournament to be held in London, England, starting on the 9th. Along with Johnson, Kevin Na (USA), Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter (both England), Sergio Garcia (Spain), and Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) were included. Phil Mickelson (USA), who caused controversy by openly supporting the ‘LIV Series’ backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), is not yet on the list.

The ‘LIV Series’ is a newly established so-called Super Golf League (SGL) created to compete against the PGA Tour and European Tour, which currently dominate the global professional golf scene. The 48 players are divided into 12 teams through a draft system and play 54 holes over 3 rounds without a cut-off. It is interesting that each tournament offers a total prize pool of $25 million (3.12 billion KRW), including $20 million for individual competition and $5 million for team competition. This surpasses The Players Championship, often called the ‘fifth major,’ which offers $20 million.

Ultimately, the intention is to lure world stars with money. The individual champion can win a prize of $4 million, and with team prizes, it is possible to hit a ‘$5 million (624 million KRW) jackpot’ in one go. Starting in London on the 9th, seven events will be held in the USA, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and other locations, with an astronomical bonus of $30 million (37.44 billion KRW) awarded to the top three players. The series will conclude with a team championship (team event, $50 million) at the end of October.

The PGA Tour has declared a tough stance, threatening to expel players who join the LIV Series, while offering various incentives such as the $50 million Player Impact Program and the $20 million Comcast Business Tour Top 10. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA), No. 2 Jon Rahm (Spain), Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), and others have already supported the PGA Tour, while Johnson and ‘The Hulk’ Bryson DeChambeau (both USA) considered joining the LIV Series but ultimately declined.

The PGA Tour is particularly shocked by Johnson’s defection. The other players have relatively less presence. Johnson is also the ambassador for the RBC Canadian Open (total prize money $8.7 million), held in Canada during the same period. He explained, “I thought about it for a long time, but I couldn’t miss this opportunity,” and “I chose the direction that would benefit my family the most.” Whether the PGA Tour will impose the severe penalty of ‘expulsion’ on Johnson has become a matter of intense interest.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.