{"id":32446,"date":"2022-06-01T18:52:04","date_gmt":"2022-06-01T18:52:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/rory-mcilroy-reacts-to-list-of-names-headed-to-first-saudi-arabia-backed-liv-golf-event-pga-tour-reminds-players-they-have-not-been-authorized-to-participate\/"},"modified":"2022-06-01T18:52:04","modified_gmt":"2022-06-01T18:52:04","slug":"rory-mcilroy-reacts-to-list-of-names-headed-to-first-saudi-arabia-backed-liv-golf-event-pga-tour-reminds-players-they-have-not-been-authorized-to-participate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/rory-mcilroy-reacts-to-list-of-names-headed-to-first-saudi-arabia-backed-liv-golf-event-pga-tour-reminds-players-they-have-not-been-authorized-to-participate\/","title":{"rendered":"Rory McIlroy reacts to list of names headed to first Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf event; PGA Tour reminds players they ‘have not been authorized to participate’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DUBLIN, Ohio – Rory McIlroy is not going to London next week to play in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series at the Centurion Club.<\/p>\n

But he doesn’t begrudge anyone who is.<\/p>\n

“I have some very close friends that are playing in this event in London, and I certainly wouldn’t want to stand in their way to do what they feel is right for themselves,” McIlroy said Wednesday at Muirfield Village Golf Club, home to The Memorial. \u201cIt’s not something that I would do personally. But I certainly understand why some of the guys have went, and it’s something that we are all just going to keep an eye on and see what happens over these next few weeks. “<\/p>\n

The upstart golf league headed by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia, announced the field Tuesday night for the first of eight events. Former world No. 1 and two-time major champion Dustin Johnson headlines the field. Earlier this year, Johnson pledged his allegiance to the PGA Tour but hedged a bit when talking at the PGA Championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cDustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years,\u201d said Johnson’s manager, David Winkle with Hambric Sports, in a statement. \u201cUltimately, he decided it was in his and his family’s best interest di lui to pursue it. Dustin has never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it has given him, but in the end, he felt this was too compelling to pass up. “<\/p>\n

Major champions Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Charles Schwartzel, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell also are in the field, as are Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Kevin Na. Forty-two of the 48 players were announced; five others will qualify from the Asian Tour Series event this week and one invite remains. That could go to Phil Mickelson, who hasn’t played on the PGA Tour since January as he took a leave of absence following incendiary remarks aimed at the PGA Tour and the oppressive Saudi Arabia regime.<\/p>\n

Sixteen of the world’s top 100 will play in the 54-hole, no-cut event featuring a $ 25 million purse, with $ 4 million going to the winner.<\/p>\n