The professional golf circuit has been divided since the rise of the controversial LIV Invitational Series as a legitimate rival to the PGA Tour - but rebels to the Saudi-backed tour will be allowed to compete in The Open at St Andrews this weekend.
The second LIV Golf event took place in Portland, Oregon earlier this month and the field showcased nine of the last 21 major winners, four former World No. 1 players and nearly half of the field currently ranked in the top 100. Branden Grace, who became the first man to record a sub-63 score in a major when he shot a 62 (8-under-par) in the Open Championship in 2017, secured a two-stroke victory and a £3.37 million payout - more than the £2.56 million awarded to Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick for securing the coveted US Open title last month.
Several of the world’s most prominent players have decided to switch to LIV Golf, including the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka. While there are genuine fears the rebel tour will fragment fields at major tournaments, players who have turned their back on the PGA Tour are still allowed to compete at The Open this weekend as long as they qualified for the competition.
