Johnson signs up for controversial LIV Golf event
DUSTIN Johnson will play in the opening event of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series next week in Hertfordshire.
The former world number one will headline the new competition’s inaugural event at the Centurion Club from June 9 to 11, just four months after committing himself to the PGA Tour.
Johnson, currently world number 13, is the biggest name so far to announce he will take part and risks sanctions by the PGA, which has not granted members permission to play.
The 37-year-old American’s agent, David Winkle, said in a statement: “Dustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years. Ultimately, he decided it was in his and his family’s best interest to pursue it.”
The winner at the Centurion Club will receive £3 million out of a total prize fund of £20m and Johnson will join Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Kevin Na and Martin Kaymer in a 48-man field.
Johnson had been set to play in the Canadian Open, which also starts next week, but will now line up in the first of eight new worldwide LIV Series events to be held from June to October.
His decision is in conflict with the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), which is one of his sponsors as well as the title partner of the Canadian Open.
RBC said in a statement it was “extremely disappointed” in Johnson’s decision but added: “We wish him well.”
The Canadian Open organisers announced on Twitter: “Together with our partners at RBC, we are disappointed to learn at this late stage that Dustin Johnson has made the decision to play the LIV Golf event.”
LIV Golf chief executive, Greg Norman, has been heavily criticised for heading up the breakaway tour, with its Saudi investors accused of “sportswashing” their country’s poor human rights record.
But Norman said: “Free agency has finally come to golf. This 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.”
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