The announcement came less than half an hour after the opposing league kicked off Thursday at the Centurion Club outside London, with a 48-man pitch featuring some of the PGA Tour’s strongmen, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia. Commissioner Jay Monahan said the 17 members competing in the LIV inaugural event were in breach of the Tour’s rules, as the Tour announced on May 10 that it would not issue conflicting editions for those interested in the league. Monahan has repeatedly told players that they will be penalized if they participate in LIV matches without releases. All Tour players competing in future LIV events – Bryson DeChambeau is among those committed to the second event, June 30 – July 2 in Oregon – will also be suspended. They will not be eligible to play in the Presidents Cup this September. Johnson and Garcia were among those who gave up their tour. As a result, their names will be removed from the FedExCup’s score and they will not be allowed to receive sponsor exclusions as non-members. Mickelson, who has a lifelong Tour status after winning more than 20 events in more than 15 seasons, said Wednesday he had no plans to retire. Mickelson’s agent, Sportfive’s Steve Loy, did not comment further on the suspension of the Tour. Of the 17 players eliminated, only six are currently ranked in the top 125 in the FedExCup and only one, Talor Gooch (No. 13), is in the top 40. These players will also not be eligible for this Cup Winners’ Cup. in September. the only member in the qualifying position at the moment was Louis Oosthuizen, who was ranked fifth in the international rankings. “These players have made their choice for their own financial reasons,” Monahan wrote. “But they can not claim the same PGA Tour membership privileges, ratings, opportunities and platform as you. These expectations are not respected by you, our fans and our partners. “You have made a different choice, which is to comply with the tournament rules you agreed to when you realized your dream of winning a PGA Tour card and – most importantly – competing as part of the leading organization in the world of professional golf.” The full list of players punished: Mickelson, Johnson, Garcia, Gooch, Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Matt Jones, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Andy Ogletree, Turk Pettit, Ian Poulter, Charl Schwartzel, Hudson Swafford, Peter Uihlein and Lee Westwood. Shortly after the release of the Tour note, LIV Golf – which faces former No. 1 Greg Norman and is backed by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund – responded in a statement, calling the Tour’s actions “revengeful”. And pledging that “this is certainly not the last word on this issue.” “Today’s announcement of the PGA Tour is vindictive and widens the gap between the Tour and its members,” the statement said. “It is worrying that the Tour, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity that blocks golfers from playing the game. This is certainly not the last word on this issue. dealership starts as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London and beyond ”. The London event is the first of seven regular-season tournaments in the LIV program, each promising a 54-hole, uncut race, a shotgun start and a record $ 25 million wallet, with $ 4 million in the individual winner. The team championship later this fall will offer a $ 50 million cash prize.
