Former world No 1 Dustin Johnson and previous main champion Sergio Garcia had been listed amongst rivals for the opening LIV Golf Invitational Collection occasion in a subject launched by the Saudi-backed league on Tuesday that didn't embody Phil Mickelson.
Whereas six-time main champion Mickelson was not presently on the sphere listing, he might nonetheless tee it up between 9 and 11 June on the Centurion Membership exterior London as six spots within the 48-player occasion stay open.
Among the many different notables included are former world No 1s Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, in addition to European Ryder Cup veteran Ian Poulter, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Sergio Garcia and Kevin Na. The ultimate six gamers can be introduced at a later date, LIV Golf mentioned.
World No 13 Johnson, a two-times main champion, is the highest-ranked participant in a subject that presently contains 26 of the highest 150 golfers on this planet.
“Free company has lastly come to golf,” mentioned LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman. “This is a chance to begin a motion that may change the course of historical past by bringing new and open competitors to the game all of us love.
“The will proven by the gamers to take part in LIV Golf demonstrates their emphatic perception in our mannequin and confidence in what we’re constructing for the longer term.”
Norman has are available in for robust criticism for his affiliation with LIV Golf, with critics slamming the rich sequence as a method of “sports activities washing” for Saudi Arabia’s human rights document.
Norman was additionally criticised by Amnesty Worldwide for “mistaken and significantly misguided” feedback concerning the homicide of Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi Arabian consulate in 2018 and the excessive variety of executions carried out this yr by the dominion.
Mickelson has been linked to LIV Golf for months however has been on a self-imposed hiatus from the game since February – even skipping his title defence on the PGA Championship – amid backlash over feedback he made concerning the breakaway tour.
The 51-year-old Mickelson’s public picture took successful when the creator of an unauthorised biography mentioned the American golfer informed him he was keen to look previous Saudi Arabia’s human rights document to realize financial leverage over the PGA Tour.
Mickelson apologised and mentioned: “It was reckless, I offended folks, and I'm deeply sorry for my alternative of phrases. I’m past upset and can make each effort to self-reflect and be taught from this.”
Each the PGA Tour and DP World Tour have lately declined all requests from members who had requested for releases to compete at Centurion, the place $25m is up for grabs, together with $4m for the winner.
It's unknown whether or not these competing within the profitable breakaway circuit’s first occasion, which is being held reverse the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open – the place the winner will get $1.57m from an $8.7m purse – will face punishment.
The PGA Tour and DP World Tour didn't instantly reply to requests for remark.
Mickelson, who has 45 PGA Tour wins, has not performed on the US-based circuit since January and final competed in early February at an Asian Tour occasion in Saudi Arabia.
Johnson, who in February mentioned he was “totally dedicated” to the PGA Tour, finally determined the chance was too good to go up, his agent David Winkle informed Golf Channel.
“Dustin’s been considering this for the previous two years and determined it was in his and his household’s finest curiosity to pursue it,” Winkle mentioned. “He’s by no means had any subject with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it’s given him however ultimately felt this was too compelling to go up.”
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