Johnson defies PGA Tour, joins Saudi-funded series
Three months after declaring he was “fully committed” to the PGA Tour, Dustin Johnson is among 42 players in the field for next week's LIV Golf Invitational, which offers $25 million in prize money that's backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
Phil Mickelson was missing from the list that was released Tuesday night. It was his damaging remarks in February that led to Johnson and other top players to say they would stay on the PGA Tour.
The LIV Golf Invitational is scheduled for June 9-11 at Centurion Club outside of London. The PGA Tour and European tour denied releases for players, meaning they risk punishment — possibly a loss of tour membership — by competing.
Other players in the 48man field were not a surprise; Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia had indicated they would be playing, along with Ian Poulter.
American players who are chasing the Saudi riches are Talor Gooch, who won his first PGA Tour event last fall at the RSM Classic, and threetime tour winner Hudson Swafford.
Greg Norman's group also went after amateurs, adding U.S. Amateur champion James Piot and David Puig, who is competing for Arizona State in the NCAA Championship this week.
ARIZONA STATE MEN TO FACE TEXAS FOR NCAA TITLE >> Preston Summerhays birdied the 18th hole to close out his match 2 up and Arizona State beat reigning national champion Pepperdine 4-1 to earn a spot in the championship match against Texas.
The Longhorns beat Vanderbilt 3 1/2-1 1/2 when Pierceson Coody and Travis Vick closed out their matches seconds apart at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Texas is playing in the championship match for the third time in six years.
Arizona beat secondseeded Oklahoma 3-2 in the morning quarterfinals. Texas advanced by winning four close matches to defeat Vanderbilt.
NFL
BROWNS' WATSON FACING LAWSUIT FROM 23RD WOMAN >> Another massage therapist has filed a civil lawsuit against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, raising the number of women who have accused him of sexual misconduct to 23.
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing all the women, filed the latest lawsuit in Texas and said in a text to the AP that there could be more legal action forthcoming against Watson.
“I will be filing a 24th case soon,” he said.
Buzbee did not provide any details about the latest case.
The previous 22 lawsuits were filed in 2021, and two of those cases recently received national attention when two of the women were interviewed for a segment on HBO's “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.”
Both women provided graphic details of their encounters with Watson, who was traded from Houston to Cleveland in March. The Browns sent five draft picks — including three firstrounders — to the Texans and then signed the threetime Pro Bowler to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract despite his legal entanglement and the cases still pending.
Watson has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, reiterated the 26-year-old's innocence while commenting on lawsuit No. 23.
“Deshaun Watson vehemently denies the allegations, just as he has since she first discussed them with members of our firm in March of last year,” Hardin said in an email to AP.
Watson faces a possible suspension from the NFL, which is independently investigating his behavior. LONGTIME PARTNER SUING EX-WASHINGTON QB RYPIEN >> The former longtime partner of ex-NFL quarterback Mark Rypien has filed a personal injury lawsuit against him alleging years of physical and emotional abuse.
The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Wash. reported that Danielle Wade filed the lawsuit in Spokane County Superior Court.
The couple have spoken publicly in the past about violence in their home believed to be a consequence of head trauma Rypien experienced during a 14-year NFL career after playing in college at Washington State.
The lawsuit contains new allegations of violence, beginning as early as 2008 and lasting until September 2020.
Mary Schultz, the attorney representing Wade, said the lawsuit acknowledged Rypien's diagnosis of traumatic brain injury.
“That does not give him license to assault his wife,” Schultz said.
Rypien released a statement through his attorney in response to the allegations in the lawsuit.
“Mr. Rypien categorically and unequivocally condemns domestic violence,” the statement reads.
Hockey WROBLEWSKI TAKES OVER AS US WOMEN'S COACH >>
John Wroblewski was named the head coach of the U.S. national women's hockey team after recent success guiding the men's development program.
Wroblewski's hiring is currently limited to coaching the American women at the world championships in Denmark in August. He replaces Joel Johnson, who is stepping down after one year as part of his commitment to coach the University of St. Thomas women's program.