ST ALBANS, England: Bryson DeChambeau became the latest big-name American to abandon the PGA Tour and join the LIV Golf Invitational Series as the Saudi-backed breakaway competition flexed its financial muscle on Friday (Jul 10).
The 28-year-old former US. Open champion, one of the longest hitters the sport has ever seen, joins the likes of six-time major champion Phil Mickelson and former world number one Dustin Johnson on the LIV bandwagon.
Signing up DeChambeau is a major coup for the US$250 million series which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and has rocked golf to its core.
“Bryson DeChambeau is an exciting addition to LIV Golf’s supercharged style of play,” CEO Greg Norman said.
“He is passionate about the sport, innovative in his approach and committed to pushing the boundaries in pursuit of excellence.
“He’s not afraid to think outside the box and supports our mission of doing things differently to grow our game.”
DeChambeau, like Johnson, had initially distanced himself from LIV, saying only last week that jumping ship at this stage of his career was too much of a risk.
He has made a complete U-turn, however, despite the PGA Tour on Thursday announcing that it would suspend any member who had joined the new circuit or would join in the future.
DeChambeau, who won the 2020 U.S. Open and whose swashbuckling style boosts TV audiences, will make his debut in the LIV Invitational at the next event in Portland, Oregon at the end of June.
“The power and energy he brings to the course will deliver added electricity to our competition in Portland and beyond,” Norman said.
While many top players have so far shunned the massive money being offered by LIV Golf, the series now boasts eight major winners in its ranks with 15 major titles between them.
DeChambeau officially joined the PGA Tour in 2017 and spent the last two years in the top 10 in the world rankings but has slipped to 28th after undergoing surgery on his left hand, an injury that ruled him out of the PGA Championship.
He has played in the last two Ryder Cups for the United States but in joining the exodus to LIV he is putting his place in next year’s match in Italy at stake as there are currently no ranking points for the new series.
His place in next week’s U.S. Open is safe, however, as he has a 10-year exemption and the United States Golf Association has said it will not exclude those at this week’s LIV event.
The LIV series features a novel new format and huge prize money. Played over 54 holes, rather than the usual 72, the events features no cuts, a shotgun start and a team element with 12 captains selecting three team mates at a draft party.
The winner of the individual competition on Saturday will receive US$4 million – the biggest prize in golf history – while US$5 will be shared between the top three teams.
After Portland there will be events in New Jersey, Boston, Chicago, Bangkok and Jeddah before a final team championship at former US president Donald Trump’s Doral course in Miami.
While former world number one Norman says the new series offers players “free agency” and fans an exciting new way of watching golf, critics say it amounts to blatant sportswashing by Saudi Arabia as the nation tries to improve its image in the face of alleged human rights abuses.
For all the latest Sports News Click Here
