What we all know and nonetheless do not find out about LIV Golf, the circuit difficult the PGA Tour

One other main champion, Brooks Koepka, is defecting from the PGA Tour to the brand new LIV Golf Invitational Sequence. Additionally, sources confirmed to ESPN, that Abraham Ancer, the 20th-ranked participant on the earth, can be leaving the PGA Tour and becoming a member of LIV Golf.

Koepka, who final week on the U.S. Open complained that the dialog about who was staying and who was going forged a “black cloud” over the yr’s third main championship, joins different massive names and main winners — Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, amongst others — to bolt.

They won’t be the final high-profile golfers to affix the breakaway circuit being fronted by two-time Open Championship winner Greg Norman and financed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund. The primary United States-based occasion will happen in Portland, Oregon, starting June 30.

On the RBC Canadian Open two weeks in the past, PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas known as the defections a “bummer.” “I do not know if irritated or drained is the best phrase,” Thomas mentioned. “It is simply a kind of issues. I’ve thought quite a bit about it and it is like, individuals are entitled to decide on as they need. I do not dislike DJ now. I do not suppose he is a nasty dude. I am not going to deal with him any otherwise. It is like he is entitled to decide on as he needs.

“And I believe that the day and age that we dwell in now, it is simply so destructive that you just see it in every part. Sport, politics, no matter it’s, it is like should you disagree with somebody you simply really feel that you just’re entitled to hate them and discuss unhealthy about them and simply bash their resolution, when everyone’s entitled to their very own opinion, you understand what I imply?”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan had warned gamers that they might face stiff penalties for competing within the rival circuit. And, in actual fact, the tour suspended the gamers who performed within the first LIV occasion in London.

Whereas stars reminiscent of Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay have mentioned they’re going to stay loyal to the PGA Tour, they admit they’re to see what goes down over the subsequent a number of weeks.

“I am as curious as you’re to see how the tournaments will go and what the presentation can be like, if will probably be much like golf tournaments that we’re used to seeing on TV, or if will probably be one thing completely totally different, and solely time will inform,” Cantlay mentioned final week. “I am to see what that product can be in comparison with what the product is correct now that we’re all used to.”

The place do the PGA Tour and LIV Golf go from right here? Listed below are just a few questions that should nonetheless be answered:

Who’s in?

Listed below are the gamers who’ve formally signed up up to now, with Koepka, DeChambeau and Reed additionally reportedly on the best way for the subsequent one:

Phil Mickelson
Dustin Johnson
Shaun Norris
Oliver Bekker
Kevin Yuan
Justin Harding
Ratchanon Chantananuwat
Chase Koepka
Wade Ormsby
Matt Jones
Ryosuke Kinoshita
Blake Windred
Martin Kaymer
Pablo Larrazabal
JC Ritchie
Ian Snyman
Kevin Na
Sadom Kaewkanjana
Hideto Tanihara
Viraj Madappa
Sihwan Kim
Scott Vincent
Jinichiro Kozuma
Itthipat Buranatanyarat
Peter Uihlein
Richard Bland
Phachara Khongwatmai
Travis Smyth
Ian Poulter
Lee Westwood
Sam Horsfield
Laurie Canter
Louis Oosthuizen
Hennie Du Plessis
Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace
Sergio Garcia
James Piot
David Puig
Jediah Morgan
Graeme McDowell
Bernd Wiesberger
Turk Pettit
Oliver Fisher
Talor Gooch
Hudson Swafford
Adrian Otaegui
Andy Ogletree

The schedule

The place: London
When: June 9-11

The place: Portland, Oregon
When: June 30-July 2

The place: Bedminster, New Jersey
When: July 29-31

The place: Boston
Sept. 2-4

The place: Chicago
Sept. 16-18

The place: Bangkok
When: Oct. 7-9

The place: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
When: Oct. 14-16

The place: Miami
When: Oct. 27-30

When will the PGA Tour gamers face self-discipline?

The PGA Tour responded by suspending the 17 present or former members who defied Monahan by competing in London with out releases. In a memo despatched to gamers, Monahan did not specify how lengthy the suspensions would final or if gamers may very well be reinstated. The gamers are ineligible for tour occasions and the Presidents Cup, which is scheduled Sept. 19-25 at Quail Hole Membership in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“These gamers have made their selection for their very own financial-based causes,” Monahan wrote within the memo. “However they can not demand the identical PGA TOUR membership advantages, concerns, alternatives and platform as you. That expectation disrespects you, our followers and our companions. You may have made a unique selection, which is to abide by the Match Laws you agreed to whenever you achieved the dream of incomes a PGA TOUR card and — extra importantly — to compete as a part of the preeminent group on the earth {of professional} golf.”

The memo mentioned gamers who compete in LIV occasions are ineligible to take part on the PGA Tour or another excursions it sanctions, together with the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. The 10 gamers who resigned their memberships, which incorporates Johnson, Lee Westwood and Oosthuizen, can also’t compete in tour occasions on sponsor’s exemptions.

Monahan wrote that any PGA Tour gamers who compete in future LIV occasions would face the identical punishment.

“I’m sure our followers and companions — who’re certainly uninterested in all this discuss of cash, cash and more cash — will proceed to be entertained and compelled by the world-class competitors you show every week, the place there are true penalties for each shot you are taking and your rightful place in historical past everytime you attain that elusive winner’s circle,” Monahan wrote.

“You’re the PGA TOUR, and this second is about what we stand for: the PGA TOUR membership as a complete. It is about lifting up those that select to not solely profit from the TOUR, however who additionally play an integral function in constructing it. I do know you’re with us, and vice versa. Our companions are with us, too. The truth that your former TOUR colleagues cannot say the identical must be telling.”

Will gamers who compete on the LIV Golf circuit be eligible for majors?

The governing our bodies that stage the 4 majors — Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership (Masters), USGA (U.S. Open), PGA of America (PGA Championship) and the R&A (The Open) — have supported the PGA Tour and DP Tour (previously the European Tour) prior to now, however they do not appear able to ban gamers who’re competing within the LIV Golf circuit, not less than not but.

The USGA permitted gamers who’re enjoying with LIV Golf and those that have dedicated to going ahead to compete in final week’s U.S. Open at The Nation Membership.

“Concerning gamers who might select to play in London, we merely requested ourselves this query — ought to a participant who had earned his means into the 2022 U.S. Open, through our printed subject standards, be pulled out of the sector on account of his resolution to play in one other occasion? And we finally determined that they need to not,” the USGA mentioned.

The USGA mentioned its resolution shouldn’t be interpreted as favoring a brand new tour or a participant’s resolution.

“Slightly, it’s merely a response as to if or not the USGA views enjoying in an alternate occasion, with out the consent of their house tour, an offense that ought to disqualify them for the U.S. Open,” the assertion mentioned.

On the Masters in April, Augusta Nationwide chairman Fred Ridley mentioned the membership supported the present ecosystem of golf. That being mentioned, Masters champions are so revered by the membership, it is troublesome to think about them being prohibited from competing in golf’s first main of the yr. Mickelson, Garcia, Johnson and Schwartzel have every gained a inexperienced jacket.

“I’d begin by saying that our mission is all the time to behave in the very best pursuits of the sport in no matter kind which will take,” Ridley mentioned. “I believe that golf’s in a very good place proper now. There’s extra participation. Purses on the skilled excursions are the very best they’ve ever been.

“We now have been fairly clear in our perception that the world excursions have achieved a fantastic job in selling the sport through the years. Past that, there’s a lot that we do not find out about what would possibly occur or might occur that I simply do not suppose I might say way more past that.”

Why are PGA Tour gamers leaving for LIV Golf?

Loads of it has to do with cash, however some gamers, significantly getting older ones reminiscent of Garcia, McDowell, Poulter and Schwartzel, could be enticed by making as a lot (or extra) cash in fewer occasions on the LIV circuit.

Jones, from Australia, is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour. He has a runner-up end and solo third this season. He completed tied for 26th on the Masters final yr. He is a reasonably good participant, however not within the higher echelon of the PGA Tour. He has earned greater than $17.three million throughout his tour profession.

Jones mentioned enjoying in simply seven regular-season occasions and a staff championship finale would permit him to spend extra time along with his three younger daughters. He nonetheless hopes to not less than be eligible for the majors, if not PGA Tour occasions. He acknowledged receiving a signing bonus from LIV Golf.

“I need to be round as a dad,” Jones mentioned. “I imply, I have been out right here for 15 years. I’ve missed plenty of what goes on in my children’ life. I used to be raised with a mother and pa that have been all the time there for me. They have been there at each sporting occasion, each education occasion, and that is one thing I might prefer to attempt to do for my children.”

Swafford is one other PGA Tour member who plans to play in London. He picked up his third profession tour victory on the American Categorical in January and has earned greater than $9.65 million. Swafford has two youngsters.

“I’ve bought two children now,” Swafford mentioned. “Not touring as a lot is interesting. There’s plenty of issues that went into the choice. I nonetheless need to play the PGA Tour. I undoubtedly do. I like the tour.”