The Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series will make its debut this weekend in London.
The league announced a field of 48 players, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen.
The league is already disrupting the dynamics in professional men’s golf and could continue to do so as its season continues. Yet, hanging above the shifting balance of power in the business of golf are the questions of ethics and morals facing players and executives who have joined the league, in light of multiple accusations against the Saudi Arabian government of alleged human rights violations.
Here is everything you need to know about LIV Golf.
Why is LIV Golf so controversial?
The Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth investment fund of Saudi Arabia and one of the largest in the world, has backed and is financing LIV Golf Investments, the parent company of LIV Golf. As the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman is the head of the PIF. According to a declassified U.S. intelligence report released in February 2021, Salman approved an operation “to capture or kill” Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi inside a Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018.
The Saudi government is accused of other human rights violations and has invested in Western athletic opportunities in an apparent attempt to improve its image, a practice known as “sportswashing.”
What will be the format?
There will be seven regular season events in different cities on three continents — London, Portland (Oregon), Bedminster (New Jersey), Boston, Chicago, Bangkok, Jeddah. The season will culminate in a team championship in Florida at the Trump National Doral Miami course.
Each event will be a 54-hole, three-round, no-cut competition. The league will incorporate shotgun starts to expedite play. A 48-person field has been announced and players will be split into four-person teams.
The team championship will be a four-day, four-round event in which the teams will be seeded in a knock-out playoff bracket.
What are the prize payouts?
Each regular-season event is scheduled to feature a total purse of $25 million, with $20 million going toward individual prizes and the remainder going toward the team competition. The first-place prize for individual players will reportedly be $4 million and the team that places first will earn $3 million.
Over the course of the season, the player who is crowned champion will take home $18 million, while second place will collect $8 million and third will earn $4 million. Players who compete in a minimum of four events will be eligible for these awards.
During the team championship at the end of the season, each of the 12 teams will receive a cut of the $50 million purse. The first-place team will win $16 million.
When will LIV Golf hold its inaugural event?
The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament will take place June 9-11 at the Centurion Club, which is about 25 miles northwest of London.
Who will play in the inaugural event?
The LIV Golf league announced its captains for the 12 teams that will compete in the inaugural event in London. Each team has its own name and logo.
- Captain, team name
- Dustin Johnson, 4 Aces
- Graeme McDowell, Niblicks
- Ian Poulter, Majesticks
- Kevin Na, Iron Heads
- Louis Oosthuizen, Stinger
- Martin Kaymer, Cleeks
- Peter Uihlein, Crushers
- Phil Mickelson, Hy Flyers
- Sergio Garcia, Fire Balls
- Sihwan Kim, Smash
- Talor Gooch, Torque
- Wade Ormsby, Punch
Other notable players on the roster include Lee Westwood, Charl Schwartzel, Sam Horsfield, Andy Ogletree and Branden Grace.
Have any players turned down LIV Golf?
Tiger Woods recently reaffirmed his commitment to the PGA Tour. LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman said in an interview with the Washington Post that Woods turned down a “mind-blowingly enormous” offer from LIV Golf that was “about high nine digits.” Rory McIlroy has also declined.
Eighteen-time major champion Jack Nicklaus turned down two offers “in excess of $100 million” for the chance to be the face of the league.
What has been the reaction to those who joined?
Though several prominent PGA Tour players have resigned their membership to join LIV Golf, those have faced harsh criticism. For its part, the PGA Tour has threatened serious penalties for those PGA Tour members who play in the LIV Golf Series events. Some players, like Dustin Johnson, have resigned their membership with the PGA Tour to join LIV golf. Others, like Phil Mickelson, have said they intend to play in major championships.
With the U.S. Open set to take place June 16-19, the weekend following the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational, the U.S. Golf Association released a statement Tuesday saying it would not penalize any player invited to the U.S. Open who had played in the LIV Golf Invitational in London.
How are teams chosen?
The captains of the teams were selected by LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and the league’s tournament committee. Each team-appointed captain will select three players for their team’s open slots in a snake draft format. The exception to that is that five of the non-captain players are not eligible to be drafted because they “have pre agreed” to play together on certain teams.
