“Dustin has never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it has given him,” Winkle continued, “but in the end felt this was too compelling to pass up.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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How a Saudi challenge changed the PGA Tour and Phil Mickelson’s legacy<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
The only other top-20 player on the list is Louis Oosthuizen, a South African who won the 2010 British Open and is ranked No. 20 in the world. As expected, many of the other big names in the LIV Golf field were European, including Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter. Other noteworthy Americans set to join Johnson in England are Kevin Na and Talor Gooch, who are in the top 35.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Not on the list was Mickelson, who has been in self-imposed exile after the firestorm over his comments. He has not played on the PGA Tour since late January and sat out this year’s Masters, for the first time since 1994, and the PGA Championship, where he was the 2021 champion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Mickelson could be one of the six players yet to be announced for the field in England. His manager di lui said in April that Mickelson had applied for a release from the PGA Tour to play in the event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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In May, though, the PGA Tour denied releases to all of its players who were seeking an opportunity to compete in the first LIV Golf event. “As a membership organization, we believe this decision is in the best interest of the PGA Tour and its players,” the organization said in a memo.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Last year, Monahan reportedly threatened players with immediate and potentially lengthy suspensions if they joined the Saudi-backed venture. Greg Norman, a golfing great who heads the company organizing the series, responded in February by threatening Monahan with legal action if the commissioner tried to follow through with such punishments. After the PGA Tour refused to issue waivers for the opening tournament, Norman reportedly sent players a letter asserting that “LIV Golf has your back and will defend and assist you if either tour [including the top European circuit] tries to act against your interests and the progress of the sport. “<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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In a statement Tuesday, Norman proclaimed, “free agency has finally come to golf.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis 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,\u201d he continued. “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.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Other notable names in the inaugural field include 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel, former US Open and PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer, Branden Grace and Bernd Wiesberger.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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The choice of Johnson and other players to compete in the event will put the resolve of Monahan and the PGA Tour to the test. As of Tuesday evening, the PGA Tour had yet to comment on the announcement of the London field.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n