European stalwart Paul McGinley fears Dustin Johnson ’s decision to join the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit could well ‘turn golf upside down’. After months of speculation the field of the inaugural event of the LIV Golf Series was confirmed on Wednesday.
The biggest name - and surprise - on the list was 2020 Masters champion Johnson, who despite ruling himself out of the Saudi-backed event has decided on a huge u-turn. A report from the Telegraph revealed that the American is set to collect around £100million in signing up for the rebel circuit.
Following the announcement, Johnson’s decision was defended by his agent David Winkle, who revealed the 37-year-old took the offer in ‘his and his family’s best interest’.
He said: “Dustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years. Ultimately, he decided it was in his and his family’s best interest to pursue it. Dustin has never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it has given him, but in the end, felt this was too compelling to pass up.”
Since it was first presented, the idea of the breakaway circuit has sent shockwaves around the world of golf, and Irishman McGinley believes the rollercoaster led by former world No. 1 Greg Norman is only just beginning, especially after luring in one of the world’s best in Johnson. “There is no doubt that this will go down as a historic moment in the game,” McGinley told Sky Sports.
“If this Saudi League does gather ahead of speed and does challenge the current established two tours in the world, considering the background and who is involved and the whole idea of team events and everything. It could turn golf upside down and on its head, so this in time could be a historic moment but we will have to see how it plays out.
“At this stage he [Johnson] is only one player, all the other remaining top players in the world remain completely loyal to the PGA Tour in particular and they feel they have got it good over there and they do have it good. Playing for 10, 12 million dollars every single week with the prize funds. First prize of over $2 million, their endorsements are massive and they are flying around in their private jets every week and going home to their families.”
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Initially players that had applied for release to compete on the breakaway circuit were declined by the PGA Tour, with heavy sanctioning threatened for those who went to play. Those players making the trip though clearly don't seem fazed, and McGinley now sees a legal battle playing out to settle the dispute.
He commented: “At this stage we could be heading for a court case. I don’t know the legality of all that, I don’t really want to go into a world I’ve got no idea about, but yeah that is what it is looking like at the moment. That is what has been rumoured for the last year or two, that this would end up in a legal case, and this may well ignite it.”
