LIV Golf Series: Every PGA Tour player who has signed up so far

The controversial LIV Golf Series is set to get underway this week – and it already counts a number of high-profile PGA Tour players in its ranks.

The Saudi-backed tour is essentially a rival league to the long-standing PGA Tour. However, the LIV Golf Series offers far more money than the prestigious golf circuit.

For instance, the prize pots for The Masters and PGA Championship stood at $15 million each in 2022. However, there is a prize pool of $25 million for each of the LIV Golf Series events, of which there are eight in total.

The winner of each event receives a staggering $4 million. Meanwhile, every player is guaranteed at least $120,000 – the prize for the lowest-ranked golfer – just for competing.

Why is the LIV Golf Series so controversial?

There are several concerns and controversies surrounding the tour. The first and most obvious concern is that the tour is being backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). The PIF was involved in a consortium that purchased Newcastle United last year.

The state’s human rights record is the crucial issue when discussing Saudi Arabia. In March 2022, the state carried out a mass execution of 81 men in a single day. It is one of the only countries that retains the death penalty. In addition, men and women still do not share equal rights.

The other concern is related to the PGA Tour. In 2020, Commissioner Jay Monahan wrote a letter to players, warning they faced suspension or a lifetime ban if they signed up for a breakaway tour. He reiterated this stance earlier this year.

According to Golf Digest, the tour does have discretion when it comes to deciding whether its members can play in other tournaments.

Dustin Johnson has, however, resigned from the PGA Tour entirely to play in the LIV Golf Series. Therefore, he cannot play in the Ryder Cup – but can feature in the tour’s major championships.

At first, it was unclear what the consequences will be for players – Johnson himself said it is “hard to know” at this stage” – but it added another element of controversy to the new tour.

Eventually, the PGA Tour decided to suspend any of its members playing in LIV Golf from competing in its sanctioned events. Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Henrik Stenson, meanwhile, is set to be stripped of the captaincy after he joined LIV Golf on July 20.

But who else has entered?

LIV Golf Series: Every PGA Tour player who has signed up

Whilst Johnson has resigned his PGA Tour membership to play, other players, such as Graeme McDowell and Phil Mickelson, have not done so.

Bryson DeChambeau, meanwhile, announced his participation on Wednesday, June 8.

On June 21, it was announced that Brooks Koepka will join LIV Golf, quitting the PGA Tour in the process. He was later joined by PGA Tour world number 20, Abraham Ancer.

Then, on June 28, 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed announced he was joining LIV Golf – and slammed the PGA Tour in the process. Fellow American, Pat Perez, also quit the PGA Tour.

For the purposes of this list, we’ll recognise a PGA Tour golfer as someone who is listed as an ‘active golfer’ on the PGA Tour’s official website, prior to joining LIV Golf.

Here is the complete list of PGA Tour players who will play in the LIV Golf Series:

• Matt Jones (Australia)
• Ian Poulter (England)
• Lee Westwood (England)
• Abraham Ancer (Mexico)*
• Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland)
• Branden Grace (South Africa)
• Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)
• Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
• Sergio Garcia (Spain)
• Henrik Stenson (Sweden)*
• Bryson DeChambeau (United States)*
• Talor Gooch (United States)
• Charles Howell III (United States)*
• Dustin Johnson (United States)
• Jason Kokrak (United States)*
• Brooks Koepka (United States)*
• Phil Mickelson (United States)
• Kevin Na (United States)
• Pat Perez (United States)*
• Patrick Reed (United States)*
• Hudson Swafford (United States)
• Peter Uihlein (United States)
• Bubba Watson (United States)*
• Matthew Wolff (United States)*

* – Players who joined LIV Golf after June 8.

Featured Image Credit: Getty