LIV Golf Invitational: major winners Johnson, Garcia defy PGA Tour, to headline field for inaugural Saudi-backed event
- Former world No 1 Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter among high-profile golfers to play in England next week
- Thailand’s teenage star Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat also among list of 42 players named for event at Centurion Club
Greg Norman has hailed the start of “free agency in golf” as it emerged that former world No 1 Dustin Johnson was one of several major winners who had agreed to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational Series event next week.
Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Graeme McDowell, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen were named on a list of 42 players for the first tournament of the Saudi-backed league at Centurion Club in England from June 9 to 11.
Their decision sets them on a potential collision course with the two main golf tours. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have recently declined all requests from members who had asked for releases to compete at Centurion, where US$25 million is up for grabs, including US$4 million for the winner.
“Free agency has finally come to golf,” Norman, the LIV Golf CEO, said. “This is an opportunity to start a movement that will change the course of history by bringing new and open competition to the sport we all love.
“The desire shown by the players to participate in LIV Golf demonstrates their emphatic belief in our model and confidence in what we’re building for the future.”
