- The Saudi-backed LIV Golf league will hold its inaugural event June 9-11 in London
- A 48-person field, broken into 12 teams of four people each, will compete in seven regular season events
- Notable names to join the LIV Golf tour include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio García
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.
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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 of play for the first LIV Golf season?
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 was 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 purses for the LIV Golf events?
Each regular season event will 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 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.
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When will the LIV Golf league hold its inaugural event?
The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational will take place June 9-11 at the Centurion Club in Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom, which is about 25 miles northwest of London.
Who will play in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational?
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 García; 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.” Golfer 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.
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What has been the reaction to players who have joined LIV Golf?
Though