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LIV Golf Invitational Series: All you need to know ahead of inaugural tournament at Centurion Club

LIV Golf's inaugural invitational tournament, worth a record $25m at Centurion Club, gets under way on Thursday; Phil Mickelson, former world No 1 Dustin Johnson and Ryder Cup legends Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are among the playing field

Thursday 9 June 2022 07:35, UK

After months of speculation and back-and-forth between LIV Golf and the PGA Tour, the new Saudi-backed series is to get under way on the outskirts of London on Thursday. Here's all you need to know about who is taking part, what is the format, and why the new league has been so controversial...

Who is going to play?

The event is not being recognised by the Official Golf World Ranking (OWGR), meaning no world ranking points will be on offer during the tournament, although that has not stopped a number of high-profile names agreeing to play at the Centurion Club.

Johnson makes U-turn to headline Saudi-backed event

• DeChambeau confirmed for LIV series | Reed, Fowler expected to follow
• McIlroy: Money decisions never end well | Rory, JT sticking with PGA

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Former world No 1 Dustin Johnson and Ryder Cup legends Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood were among the most notable names to commit, with major champions Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and Louis Oosthuizen also involved. Phil Mickelson was added to that list on Monday evening after months of controversy surrounding comments he made about the breakaway series.

Former British Masters champion Richard Bland and PGA Tour veteran Kevin Na also signed up, while reigning US Amateur winner James Piot is among the young players featuring in England.

Some 42 players were initially named in the field for the inaugural event, with five more added after the Asian Tour event at Slaley Hall on Sunday.

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Looking ahead to the second event at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland from June 30 to July 2, Bryson DeChambeau has said he will play in it and Patrick Reed and Rickie Fowler are reportedly set to join him .

What does this mean for the Majors, Ryder Cup and other tours?

Johnson, Na, Garcia, Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace have all resigned from the PGA Tour, but Mickelson and DeChambeau do not plan to do so.

McIlroy questions quality of LIV Golf field

Norman 'surprised' by Na resigning from PGA Tour

Latest golf news

Johnson's decision to resign from the PGA Tour means that as of now he is unable to be selected for future Ryder Cups, although he remains hopeful that the situation may change.

European Ryder Cup legends, Garcia, Poulter and Westwood are also hopeful they will be allowed to take part in future events. Rory McIlroy has ruled out joining the LIV series but believes those that do compete should not be disqualified from Ryder Cup selection .

Each of the four majors are independently run and can decide whether LIV golfers can participate in their competitions. The USGA confirmed on Tuesday that those teeing it up at the Centurion Club that have already qualified for next week's US Open - which is live on Sky Sports from June 16 - will be allowed to take part.

How did the idea come around?

Reports first began to surface of a rival league to the PGA Tour as far back as 2019, but it was only in late 2021 that the proposal truly began to take shape with the formation of LIV Golf Investments.

This new entity, with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) - owners of Newcastle United - as its majority shareholder, made an initial $200m commitment to the Asian Tour, later increased to $300m, and appointed former world No 1 and Open champion Greg Norman as its CEO.

In March, despite the PGA Tour threatening to hand out lifetime bans to players who defect to a rival league, LIV Golf announced the schedule for an eight-event, $225m invitational series beginning at Centurion Club in St Albans on Thursday.

LIV is the Roman numeral for 54, which is the number of holes to be played in each event. It also refers to the lowest score a player can shoot were they to birdie every hole on a par-72 course.

Why is it so controversial?

Due to the PIF's links to the Saudi government, with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman serving as chairman, LIV Golf has faced accusations of sports washing.

Norman has adamantly denied such claims, telling Sky Sports in May that Saudi Arabia is "changing their culture within their country" and insisting "I do not answer to Saudi Arabia. I do not answer to their government or MBS".

Comments from a Mickelson interview with author Alan Shipnuck, who is writing an unauthorised biography of the six-time major winner, came to light in February, in which the 51-year-old questioned Saudi Arabia's human rights record and called the regime "scary".

Mickelson has since apologised for his "reckless" comments.

What is the format?

All 48 players compete against each other in a traditional stroke play format, with the lowest 54-hole total from the no-cut event being the winner, while a draft will help allocate players into the team format.

Each team will have a LIV appointed team captain who will select their three open team positions via a snake draft format, similar to those used on the Ladies European Tour in the Aramco Team Series.

For the first two rounds, the best two stroke play scores will count for each team. For the third and final round, the best three scores will count, with the lowest overall team score after 54 holes being named the team winner.

The format changes in the Team Championship, which is a seeded four-day, four-round, match play knock-out tournament. The top four seeds automatically receive a bye through the first round, with the remaining eight teams playing against each other to see who reaches the quarter-finals.

Team names and captains

Captains in bold, with the 48-strong field divided into 12 teams

4 ACES - Dustin Johnson , Shaun Norris, Oliver Bekker, Kevin Yuan

HY FLYERS - Phil Mickelson , Justin Harding, TK Chantananuwat (a), Chase Koepka

PUNCH - Wade Ormsby , Matt Jones, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Blake Windred

CLEEKS - Martin Kaymer , Pablo Larrazabal, JC Ritchie, Ian Snyman

IRON HEADS - Kevin Na , Sadom Kaewkanjana, Hideto Tanihara, Viraj Madappa

SMASH - Sihwan Kim , Scott Vincent, Jinichiro Kozuma, Itthipat Buranatanyarat

CRUSHERS - Peter Uihlein , Richard Bland, Phachara Khongwatmai, Travis Smyth

MAJESTICKS - Ian Poulter , Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield, Laurie Canter

STINGER - Louis Oosthuizen , Hennie du Plessis, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace

FIREBALLS - Sergio Garcia , David Puig (a), James Piot (a), Jediah Morgan

NIBLICKS - Graeme McDowell , Bernd Wiesberger, Turk Pettit, Oliver Fisher

TORQUE - Talor Gooch , Hudson Swafford, Adrian Otaegui, Andy Ogletree

How much money will players earn?

The first seven events all have a prize purse of $25million, with $20m being distributed between the 48-man field and the remaining $5m being shared between the top three teams at the end of each week.

The winner will receive $4m (£3.2m), considerably more than the $2.7m awarded to Scottie Scheffler for his victory at The Masters and Justin Thomas secured for his PGA Championship success, while every player is guaranteed at least $120,000 just for completing 54 holes.

An Individual Champion will be crowned at the end of those events, with a $30m fund distributed for the top three players of the season, providing they have played in a minimum of four tournaments.

The prize purse doubles for the season finale in Miami and sees $50m allocated between each of the 12 four-man teams. Each player receives a 25 per cent cut of team earnings, with $16m awarded to the winning team and $1million for the team finishing 12th.

Where are future events taking place?

The inaugural event in London is the first of eight tournaments due to take place over the next few months, including five in the United States and two in Asia, with an expanded schedule then planned in the coming years.

Pumpkin Ridge GC in Portland from June 30-July 2 and Trump National Golf Club Bedminster from July 29-31 are the next two events, with further US-based tournaments take place in Boston from September 2-4 and Chicago from September 16-18.

Stonehill Golf Club in Bangkok is the venue from October 7-9 and Royal Greens Golf Club - the site of the Saudi International in recent years - hosts the following week, with the season-ending Team Championship then hosted at Trump National Doral Miami from October 27-30.

LIV Golf plans to have 10 events in its 2023 calendar before expanding to 14 tournaments from 2024, although dates and locations for those have not yet been confirmed.

"We have a long-term vision and we're here to stay," said Norman, the CEO and commissioner of LIV Golf, via a release. "We're going to grow the game, give more opportunities to players, and create a more entertaining product for fans."

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How To Watch The LIV Golf London Event

The options for watching next week’s Centurion Club action either at home or in person

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With the LIV Golf Invitational Series field almost complete, attention is beginning to turn to next week's tournament at London's Centurion Club - and how to watch it. 

The 54-hole competition, which includes 48 players competing in 12 teams of four with shotgun starts, certainly promises something different. Now, we also have a good idea of the strength of the competition we can expect. 

The biggest name in the field is Dustin Johnson , whose decision to sign up for the Series after previously pledging his allegiance to the PGA Tour is reportedly because of an offer of $125m to do so . Other high-profile names in the field include Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer.

While the build-up to the Series has seen plenty of controversy, including the PGA Tour and DP World Tour’s refusal to grant releases for their players to compete in the first tournament, it will finally be time for the action to do the talking on 9 June. Players will then compete in the first of eight tournaments for a top prize of $4m from a staggering $25m purse.

The good news for anyone wishing to watch the first event is that it can be accessed free of charge globally in three ways - via YouTube , Facebook or on LIVGolf.com, as the organisers looks to reach as wide an audience as possible. 

Of course, another option is to watch the event in person. Tickets are still on sale for the tournament, starting at £67.55 a day for adults. Under-15s can gain free admission with a paying adult. Meanwhile, serving HM Armed Forces personnel gain free admission for themselves and a guest. 

There are also discounts of 25 percent on single or three-day grounds passes for college or university students, teachers, medical professionals and key workers. Once there, as well as the golf, fans will be treated to a host of on-site experiences .

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The action gets under way at 2pm GMT on each of the three days from 9 to 11 June. Gates to the Centurion Club open at 11am GMT. 

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.

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What to know about the first LIV Golf event this week in London

The first LIV Golf Invitational series is set to kick off this week from the Centurion Club in London, marking the first true test of the new controversial Saudi Arabian-backed golf venture.

Though the new tour has had plenty of struggles getting off the ground, CEO Greg Norman managed to lure several big names away from the PGA Tour in time for this week's 54-hole event.

Here’s everything you need to know for the opening LIV Golf tournament.

How to watch

The event won’t be available on TV anywhere, but it is going to be streamed for free on LIV Golf’s YouTube and Facebook pages, and on LIVGolf.com.

Coverage is set to begin Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.

LIV Golf has hired Arlo White as its lead broadcaster. White, the former Premier League play-by-play announcer, will be joined by Jerry Foltz and Dom Boulet on the call. Su-Ann Heng and Troy Mullins will contribute from on the course, too.

Who is playing?

There are several big names set to play in the opening event this week.

Dustin Johnson is perhaps the biggest name in the field . Johnson, who is currently ranked No. 15 in the world, is reportedly being paid more than $100 million to compete outside of the PGA Tour. He’s by far the highest-ranked player in the field, and he officially left the PGA Tour on Tuesday .

Phil Mickelson is set to make his return to golf this week , too. He announced Monday that he will play at the Centurion Club, which will be his first time back in competitive golf after his controversial comments about the league and Saudi Arabia . He also opened up about his "reckless" gambling addiction .

Kevin Na became the first PGA Tour player to officially leave the Tour in favor of LIV Golf. Sergio Garcia, Branden Grace, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer and Talor Gooch are the other notable Tour players set to play. Brooks Koepka’s brother, Chase, is also in the field.

Tiger Woods was apparently offered a deal in the "high nine figures" to play, but he turned it down.

How do the teams work?

The 48-man field will be split into 12 four-man teams. There is no cut, and the group will begin with a shotgun start.

The best two scores over the first two rounds will count for each team, and then the best three scores will count in the final round. Then, the team with the lowest overall score wins. The individual who scores the lowest will also win.

Even though there is a team format for each event, players are still scored individually in a stroke play format.

Who are the team captains?

Team captains were announced Tuesday, along with their, well, unique team names.

4 Aces - Dustin Johnson

Niblicks - Graeme McDowell

Majestics - Ian Poulter

Iron Heads - Kevin Na

Stinger - Louis Oosthuizen

Cleeks - Martin Kaymer

Crushers - Peter Uihlein

Hy Flyers - Phil Mickelson

Fire Balls - Sergio Garcia

Smash - Sihwan Kim

Torque - Talor Gooch

Punch - Wade Ormsby

How much does the winning team make?

Each regular season LIV Golf event has a purse of $25 million.

Of that, $5 million will be split between the top three teams, with the top team receiving $3 million. The remaining $20 million will be split individually, with the first place winner earning $4 million and the last place finisher receiving $120,000.

By comparison, The Players Championship offers a purse of $20 million, which is the most in any single event on PGA Tour outside of the Tour Championship.

Controversy surrounding LIV Golf

There has been plenty of controversy surrounding the new golf series, starting most notably with Mickelson.

In comments he made in an interview for a book, Mickelson called the Saudi Arabians “scary motherf***ers” but still said he was willing to overlook their horrific crimes and human rights abuses — including the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He eventually apologized, and then stepped away from golf for months .

Norman has made several controversial comments about the league, too. He downplayed Khashoggi’s killing by saying, “We’ve all made mistakes.”

“I’m not in this thing for Khashoggi or anything like that,” he told The Washington Post this month. “I’m in here because of the game of golf. That’s what I care about. If I focus on the game of golf and don’t get dragged into this other stuff, that’s my priority.”

Plenty of players have lost sponsorships for their involvement. Westwood was dropped by UPS, for example, and Johnson was dropped by the Royal Bank of Canada.

The Saudi Arabian government has been accused of “sportswashing” in recent years in an attempt to cover up crimes and other abuses. LIV Golf is an example of that.

At least one golfer pushed back on that notion Tuesday, though he also insisted that he wasn't the smartest person to be talking about the subject.

"I don't think that's fair," Gooch said when asked about being part of sportswashing, via ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg . "Also ... I'm a golfer. I'm not that smart. I try to hit a golf ball into a small hole. Golf is hard enough. I try to worry about golf, and I'm excited bout this week."

McDowell had a similar answer when he was asked about crimes that Saudi Arabia has committed.

Preparing for the Saudi golf series launch, Graeme McDowell talked about golf being a force for good. I asked how the sovereign wealth funded series will help those who have been killed, oppressed and suffered by Saudi actions. https://t.co/lLxnCCQsqm pic.twitter.com/rtDaetqnG1 — Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 7, 2022

"I wish I had the ability to have that conversation with you," McDowell said. "I think as golfers if we tried to cure geopolitical situations in every country in the world that we play golf in, we wouldn't play a lot of golf."

The PGA Tour has been very against the league, and commissioner Jay Monahan has threatened players with the loss of their Tour cards if they participate. It’s unclear what punishment he will hand down, if at all. Should players lose their cards, they could still participate in major championships — as those are operated outside of the Tour — but that is up to the individual tournament organizers.

The PGA Tour is holding the RBC Canadian Open opposite of the first LIV Golf event this week.

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Players reflect on first year of liv golf in return to centurion club, share this article.

There has been no shortage of drama, excitement, storylines and plenty more since LIV Golf made its debut last June at Centurion Club in London.

Players choosing to stay on the PGA Tour or go to LIV Golf. Some taking jabs at one another, back and forth. Numerous legal battles . Seemingly every day, there was something newsworthy related to LIV Golf and its attempt to thrust itself into the golf ecosystem.

This week, LIV Golf returned to Centurion Club, where 2023 LIV Golf London begins Friday. It’s the return to the place where LIV Golf began, and it’s the first time LIV has played a course twice.

Last season, it was the first of eight events. This year, it’s the ninth of 14. Although the future of LIV Golf is up in the air since the announcement of the agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the financial backer of LIV, players and executives are marching forward as if the circuit will continue.

Only time will tell.

There are 23 golfers in the field this week who participated in the first LIV event last year. Some of those players and others reflected on the first year of LIV Golf ahead of kicking off Friday’s event in London. Here’s what they had to say.

Charl Schwartzel (winner of 2022 LIV Golf London)

In case you forgot, the first LIV winner was a Masters champion.

“Last year at this time, there was a lot of uncertainty. We were getting a bit of scrutiny.

“But here we are a year later, and it seems like there’s a lot of positives for the future. Wherever we’ve gone in the last year, it seems like every event has gone really successful, and it looks like there’s a lot more — people are looking for more tournaments, more local tournaments going forward, so it seems like it’s very positive.”

After winning last year: “I didn’t really know how to shake that champagne bottle. I had never really done that so that was new to try to figure that out. It was just new to golf. We’d never seen that. You see that in Formula 1 where they get podium finishes, and all of a sudden this is what LIV Golf has done.

“It’s exciting just to be a part of something new.”

Charl Schwartzel celebrates with the trophy during the podium ceremony at the LIV Golf event at The Centurion Club north of London, on June 11, 2022. (Photo by Adrian Dennis/AFP)

Bubba Watson

“It’s great. I mean, he asked a question earlier, somebody over here, if I would change the year, I would have signed up earlier, but I had surgery so this tournament last year I got to watch from my bed. I had knee surgery. My son was with me, and that’s what took me over the edge of wanting to join is because of the team atmosphere.

“But when you look back at the hostility, yeah, it’s sad that we were in that — that we had those problems, name calling. Everybody is trying to do a job. If you all change over news stations, nobody yells at you for changing over news. It’s the same news but different station.

“It’s been a fun year. Hopefully, we can get behind it and the game of golf grows and we do some great things. Another $3 billion to charities puts the PGA Tour at $6 billion would be a good thing for the game of golf.

“That’s the whole goal of all these tournaments is to grow the game, and when we say grow the game, get more people to play golf, even if it doesn’t matter what the age is. It’s the whole thing.

“All the name-calling and yelling is just sad. A year later now everybody is friends again.”

Bubba Watson of RangeGoats GC looks after plays his tee shot on the 7th hole on during day one of LIV Golf – AndalucÌa at Real Club Valderrama on June 30, 2023 in Cadiz, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Graeme McDowell

“It’s been a pretty crazy 12 months in the world of golf. There was obviously a huge amount of trepidation this time last year when we were standing here at Centurion with a startup company, not knowing where it was going to go.

“Obviously mixed reactions from the golfing world, you could say.

“But I think 12 months in, I think the 48 players that are involved right now, there’s a huge amount of belief in the product. There’s a huge amount of momentum. There’s been so much good stuff happen this year from a tournament point of view. Fans are getting it now. They see the potential of what we have out here.

“The team stuff was probably the biggest thing that kind of took me by surprise last year was how compelling the team environment was, how much guys were into that stuff, and it’s been a lot of fun.

“We’ve got a bunch of great guys out here that are certainly great brotherhood that have been forged together through some tough times the last 12 months, what we’ve all been through.

“But like I say, momentum and LIV and the product and the fan base getting engaged, taking it down to Australia to Cam’s part of the world and kind of the reception we got there was pretty epic. It really showed what was possible, what the potential is if we go to markets that really want to see us.

“Excited to see the crowd here in London this week and see how much that’s changed from last year as people really get into the product and really see where it fits into the world of golf.”

Graeme McDowell reacts during a press conference ahead of the LIV Golf Invitational Series event at The Centurion Club in St Albans, north of London, on June 7, 2022. (Photo: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images)

Cameron Smith

“I really can’t see LIV Golf going away. I think team golf is here to stay , and if you asked every one of us out here, all the 48 guys, I think everyone has such a good time and everyone enjoys what they’re doing out here, they love the competition, and like Graeme said, that team element really brings three or four guys really close that perhaps weren’t before.

“It’s good to see. It’s unique. I don’t think it’s going anywhere.”

Cameron Smith of Ripper GC plays his second shot on the 7th hole during day two of LIV Golf – Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama on July 1, 2023 in Cadiz, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Ian Poulter

“I guess 12 months in, 15 events, the golf landscape has changed a lot in that period of time. I think we as team Majesticks feel pretty happy what we’ve been able to achieve in that short space of time.

“I think what LIV has been able to achieve in that window has been very impressive. So huge kudos to everybody that’s worked as hard as they’ve worked collectively to have this product out there for the fans, which I think is groundbreaking in a way.

“I think we offer something a little different, different being good, and I’m pretty excited about where it’s going.

“I’m not here to talk about the politics side of things. I’m here to go out there and play some good golf and deliver a great LIV product, deliver a good Majesticks product and give something out there to the fans.”

Ian Poulter of Majesticks GC looks after plays his tee shot on the 8th hole during day two of LIV Golf – Andalucia at Real Club Valderrama on July 1, 2023 in Cadiz, Spain. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)

Louis Oosthuizen

“Going into this last year, we were excited but we were also very nervous, excited about being part of something different, being part of a team, having friends on your team. But it was a fairy-tale start, like Branden (Grace) said, with us winning and then every week just got better and better, and here we are a year later.

“I think it’s even going to grow from here. We’re going to get more events and play great courses going forward. It’s so much fun to be part of all of this.

“It was sort of a decision each of us had to make. I was at ease with — I played a lot of major golf in my career, and I was very hopeful that I would still be able to play the Open, and what I’ve heard from people high up saying they’re pretty sure I’ll be able to play an Open still going forward, so I was at ease with my decision and going forward.

“I’m just glad to see that it’s finally sort of come to just back to golf again and that the fighting can stop and that everyone just do their thing.

“To be part of something new, and I’ve had a good career in golf, and I was sort of on my final stages there on the PGA Tour, was thinking about maybe even stopping after 2021, and then this opportunity came that was completely dint than what I’m used to, being part of a team aspect, and knowing that I’m going to have these two that’s good friends of mine in the team was an opportunity I didn’t want to let go, and I thought, why not.

“But yeah, I think all of us standing here are very happy with what we’ve decided, and we’re just excited for the future.”

Louis Oosthuizen walks up to the 18th green during the second round of LIV Golf Tucson at The Gallery Golf Club. (Photo: Zachary BonDurant-USA TODAY Sports)

Lee Westwood

“I think it’s good that everybody is sitting down now and trying to work together. I see LIV getting stronger and stronger from what I’ve been told from people that actually know rather than speculate and from people that don’t have all the facts.

“With regards to Greg (Norman), he’s the commissioner of this tour. I’ve always had a great relationship with Greg. I always take people as I find them, and he’s always been great to me. He’s stuck by his word with regard to LIV and where it’s going and never kept us in the dark, always informed us of anything that’s going to happen.

“I’m delighted with the way Greg has handled all this and the way he’s conveyed everything to me. I can’t talk for the other guys, but no complaints.”

Lee Westwood of team Majestics smiles after throwing a ball into then crowd on the twelfth hole during the first round of LIV Golf Adelaide golf tournament at Grange Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports

Henrik Stenson

“Yeah, I was in Sweden at the time playing an event there, and yeah, of course it was the first event at LIV and I was following and seeing how the guys were getting on. Yeah, I do recall 18 being a bit turbulent and difficult at times. Now I’m here. It’s the first time for me to see the golf course today. I’m going to go out and play nine today and we’ve got nine in the pro-am tomorrow, so I’ve got some catching up to do in learning the golf course and trying to figure that part out.

“I did watch from a distance, and now we’re here getting ready.”

Co-Captain Henrik Stenson of Majesticks GC hits his shot from the 11th tee during the practice round ahead of LIV Golf Singapore at the Sentosa Golf Club on Wednesday, Apr. 26, 2023 in Sentosa, Singapore. (Photo by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)

Branden Grace

“Last year this time was a little nerve-racking. We didn’t know what was going on, what to expect, and look at where we are now. Everything has gotten bigger and better as the weeks progressed on.

“Obviously the way we started last year was like a fairy-tale start, getting one-two-three on the podium and the team win, as well. It’s just amazing how things have progressed, how happy we are, how we’re enjoying golf, how we’re enjoying the environment, and it’s great to be here.”

Branden Grace of South Africa acknowledges the crowd as he is introduced as the champion of the LIV Golf Invitational – Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club on July 02, 2022, in North Plains, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

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LIV Golf Players: Who is playing in the LIV Golf London?

• by James Matthews
• July 3, 2023 July 3, 2023

The list of 48 players has been revealed for the eighth event of 2023 as the LIV Golf season heads to London and the Centurion Club.

The LIV Golf tour has an expanded 2023 schedule of 14 events for the second year of the series and the players head to London this weekend.

The Centurion Club in Hertfordshire staged the inaugural LIV Golf event a year ago and the series returns to the venue.

The LIV Golf London event is being staged from June 7-9 with Charl Schwartzel the defending champion.

RELATED: How to watch the LIV Golf London

Charles Howell III took the victory in the season opening event at Mayakoba in Mexico, and Danny Lee won the second tournament in Tucson, Arizona.

In Orlando for the third event, it was Brooks Koepka who created history as the first player to win two LIV Golf titles following his maiden success in 2022.

Talor Gooch then created yet more history as the first winner of back-to-back titles following victory in Adelaide and Singapore in successive weekends. He also won his third event of the year last weekend at Valderrama.

In Tulsa, Dustin Johnson was crowned champion to record his second LIV Golf victory before Harold Varner III took the title in Washington DC last time out.

Sam Horsfield remains out injured with his replacement Laurie Canter still in the line-up.

RELATED: Who are the LIV Golf Broadcasters ? RELATED: Full LIV Golf 2023 Event Calendar

LIV Golf London Players

• Abraham Ancer
• Richard Bland
• Dean Burmester
• Laurie Canter (replacement for Sam Horsfield)
• Eugenio Chacarra
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Sergio Garcia
• Talor Gooch
• Branden Grace
• Sam Horsfield (replaced by Laurie Canter)
• Charles Howell III
• Dustin Johnson
• Martin Kaymer
• Brooks Koepka
• Chase Koepka
• Jason Kokrak
• Anirban Lahiri
• Marc Leishman
• Graeme McDowell
• Phil Mickelson
• Jediah Morgan
• Sebastian Munoz
• Joaquin Niemann
• Louis Oosthuizen
• Carlos Ortiz
• Mito Pereira
• Thomas Pieters
• Ian Poulter
• Patrick Reed
• Charl Schwartzel
• Cameron Smith
• Brendan Steele
• Henrik Stenson
• Cameron Tringale
• Peter Uihlein
• Harold Varner III
• Scott Vincent
• Bubba Watson
• Lee Westwood
• Bernd Wiesberger
• Matthew Wolff

LIV Golf London Format

The 48 players have been drawn into 12 teams of four and play for individual victory and team victory in each event across three days of competition.

The LIV Golf team event will run throughout the entire schedule with each tournament taking place across four hours with shotgun starts.

There will be an individual winner in London and the 12 teams will be ranked based on the best two scores from the four players in the first two rounds and three from four in the final round.

LIV Golf London Players & Teams

The team names, captains and line-ups for the event are:

• Torque GC: Captain Joaquin Niemann, Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig
• Majesticks GC: Captains Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Laurie Canter (replacing Sam Horsfield)
• Smash GC: Captain Brooks Koepka, Chase Koepka, Matt Wolff, Jason Kokrak
• 4 Aces GC: Captain Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Peter Uihlein
• Fire Balls GC: Captain Sergio Garcia, Abe Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
• HY Flyers GC: Captain Phil Mickelson, James Piot, Brendan Steele, Cam Tringale
• Iron Heads GC: Captain Kevin Na, Scott Vincent, Danny Lee, Sihwan Kim
• RangeGoats GC: Captain Bubba Watson, Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters, Harold Varner III
• Ripper GC: Captain Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan
• Cleeks GC: Captain Martin Kaymer, Bernd Wiesberger, Richard Bland, Graeme McDowell
• Crushers GC: Captain Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III
• Stinger GC: Captain Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel

James is an avid golfer and reviews golf equipment and new gear for GolfReviewsGuide.com as well as providing the latest golf news. You will find him on a golf course wherever possible.

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LIV Golf in signal of intent to PGA Tour as Phil Mickelson prediction comes good

T he expansion of the LIV Golf setup seems unstoppable, with the renegade league announcing yet another new office opening - this time in London.

LIV made its debut at Centurion Golf Club in St Albans in June 2022 and has been on an upward trajectory ever since. The creation of the breakaway league sent shockwaves through the professional golf world when the PGA Tour decided to take a hard line against their newfound competitor by suspending members who chose to join the Saudi venture.

Despite maintaining its position at the pinnacle of professional golf alongside the PGA Tour, the American-based circuit revealed plans to reverse its stance on the Middle East by partnering with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).

READ MORE: Sergio Garcia's merger stance clear after LIV Golf star's bullish warning to PGA Tour

READ MORE: Jordan Spieth 'could get in trouble' by answering question over LIV Golf merger

This surprising turn of events followed an announcement by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan that the circuit had reached an unexpected framework agreement with PIF. With LIV boss Greg Norman seemingly left out of the surprise deal, the future of the breakaway circuit in the rapidly evolving landscape remained uncertain.

However, more than a year after the shocking announcement, it seems LIV is here to stay, having once again expanded with the opening of new offices in London. The news was shared by LIV's creative director Will Newell, who gave a sneak peek of the new headquarters in an Instagram post.

"New London office opens this week. Fit out by Echospace London," Newell penned, signaling a strategic expansion for the controversial LIV Golf league as they bolster their presence with new digs in the UK, New York, and Florida. The move underscores their ambition to globalize the tour, a vision that's playing out both on the greens and in their corporate strategy.

The renegade tour is set to host 14 events across eight countries, embodying the global aspirations long championed by LIV's headline act, Phil Mickelson. Back in May, Mickelson shared his bullish outlook: "I think there's a lot of things that are going to transpire over the next five or ten years."

"I'm very bullish and excited about what that means for LIV Golf. There's also a lot of uncertainty. I think the thing that I do know is I think the quality of the players will continue to get better each year. I think that the ability and the sites that we move to throughout the world will continue to excite players and excite fans.."

"We'll be going to more countries outside of the United States that really are starving for world-class professional golf, and we'll have a lot more receptions like we had at Adelaide."

With the grand opening of LIV's swanky London headquarters, the countdown begins to their anticipated return to British turf. This year, the Saudi-funded tournament is set to tee off at the JCB Country Club on July 26, after a two-year stint at Centurion Golf Club.

United Kingdom United Kingdom

LIV Golf UNITED KINGDOM

2024 marks the start of a multi-year partnership between LIV Golf and JCB, one of the world’s leading equipment manufacturers.

LIV Golf UK by JCB will take place July 26-28 at JCB Golf & Country Club, near Uttoxeter, a modern masterpiece with rolling fields, island greens and even a ruined stately home.

Fans can cheer Poulter, Westwood and Horsfield on their home turf, while the players will love the endless challenges created by Robin Hiseman, particularly the fiercely guarded 18th. And it’s all happening in the gorgeous British countryside, the perfect summer adventure for thousands of golf fans.

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Hospitality, pro-am & am-am.

Built around the ruins of a stately home, the JCB course combines timeless rural beauty with modern, laser-focused design. Now, it's about to welcome its first global golf event.

For three days at the height of summer, 13 elite teams will take on this hiseman masterpiece. local heroes like tyrrell hatton and ian poulter, tackling global icons like brooks koepka and sergio garcia. and you can be right there to witness it..

LIV Golf coming good on Phil Mickelson's prediction in sign of intent to PGA Tour

There had been doubts on the future of LIV Golf on the back of the PGA Tour's deal with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, but it appears the breakaway league are going nowhere

• 15:40, 4 Jul 2024

The growth of the LIV Golf setup appears to be showing no signs of slowing down, after the breakaway league confirmed another new opening of offices - this time in London.

LIV launched at Centurion Golf Club in St Albans on June 2022, and have gone from strength to strength since. The formation of the breakaway league rocked the world of professional golf, after the PGA Tour opted to take a no-nonsense approach to their newly-found rival by suspending members who opted to make the Saudi switch.

Having continued to assert its place at the top of the professional golfing pyramid alongside the PGA Tour, the American-based circuit announced plans to make a u-turn on its Middle Eastern stance by aligning with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).

READ MORE: DP World Tour winner set sights on joining LIV Golf after catching Bryson DeChambeau's eye

READ MORE: LIV Golf star gives honest verdicts on Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood after securing Open spot

This came after PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced the circuit had reached a shock framework agreement with PIF. With LIV boss Greg Norman seemingly left out of the shock deal it remained unclear as to what the future held for the breakaway circuit in the ever-changing landscape.

Over one year on from the shock announcement though, it appears LIV are going nowhere having once again expanded with the opening of new offices in London, which were revealed by LIV’s creative director Will Newell, who posted a look at the new HQ via a post on Instagram .

"New London office opens this week. Fit out by Echospace London," Newell wrote. This has seen the breakaway league grow its workplaces in the UK, New York and Florida, with their plan to take the circuit around the globe shown both on and off the golf course.

For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US .

In total the breakaway circuit hosts 14 events across eight nations, and this movement across the world is a vision predicted by LIV's marque member Phil Mickelson. Speaking in May, Mickelson claimed: "I think there's a lot of things that are going to transpire over the next five or ten years.

"I'm very bullish and excited about what that means for LIV Golf. There's also a lot of uncertainty. I think the thing that I do know is I think the quality of the players will continue to get better each year. I think that the ability and the sites that we move to throughout the world will continue to excite players and excite fans...

"We’ll be going to more countries outside of the United States that really are starving for world-class professional golf, and we’ll have a lot more receptions like we had at Adelaide." The opening of LIV's new London base comes just weeks before the circuit makes its return to British soil. After two years at Centurion Golf Club, the Saudi-backed circuit's UK-based tournament will take place at JCB Country Club on July 26.

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PGA Tour suspends all players taking part in first LIV Golf tournament

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The PGA Tour has suspended the 17 members who are competing in the inaugural LIV Golf International Series event, it announced Thursday.

Players who resigned their membership before starting the LIV Golf event being held outside London that began Thursday are also no longer eligible to compete in tour events or the Presidents Cup. Among those now banned from tour events are six-time major champion Phil Mickelson , two-time major champion Dustin Johnson and longtime Ryder Cup participants Ian Poulter , Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia .

"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons," PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan wrote in a memo to the tour's membership. "But they can't demand the same PGA TOUR membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. That expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners. You have made a different choice, which is to abide by the Tournament Regulations you agreed to when you accomplished the dream of earning a PGA TOUR card and -- more importantly -- to compete as part of the preeminent organization in the world of professional golf."

Monahan wrote that any players who take part in future LIV Golf events will face the same punishment.

Mickelson, asked how he felt about Monahan's memo, paused for 10 seconds as he weighed what he was going to say before answering, "Any PGA Tour matters, I'm not going to discuss it publicly at this time."

Poulter, meanwhile, expressed frustration with the PGA Tour's decision and said he would fight the suspension.

"Of course I'm going to appeal. It makes no sense," Poulter said. "I've always had the ability to play golf all around the world. What's wrong with that? I haven't done anything wrong. How many which ways do you want to cut that? I've don't know many different events I've played around the world on different circuits. I've played the Asian Tour, the Japanese Tour. I've played in China, in South Africa. I've played everywhere, the game of golf that I love. They're going take that opportunity away? That's disappointing."

The memo said players who compete in LIV events are ineligible to participate on the PGA Tour or any other tours it sanctions, including the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica.

"I am certain our fans and partners -- who are surely tired of all this talk of money, money and more money -- will continue to be entertained and compelled by the world-class competition you display each and every week, where there are true consequences for every shot you take and your rightful place in history whenever you reach that elusive winner's circle," Monahan wrote.

"You are the PGA TOUR, and this moment is about what we stand for: the PGA TOUR membership as a whole. It's about lifting up those who choose to not only benefit from the TOUR, but who also play an integral role in building it. I know you are with us, and vice versa. Our partners are with us, too. The fact that your former TOUR colleagues can't say the same should be telling."

LIV Golf, in a statement, called the PGA Tour's punishment "vindictive" and said it "deepens the divide between the Tour and its members."

"It's troubling that the Tour, an organization dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing," LIV Golf said. "This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."

The PGA Tour announced the discipline less than 30 minutes after 17 of its members or former members who resigned from the tour in the past week hit their opening tee shots in the inaugural LIV Golf event at Centurion Club outside London.

Two other past major winners, 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed , have also reached agreements with LIV Golf to compete in future tournaments, sources told ESPN on Wednesday. LIV Golf officials have also had ongoing discussions with other players, including Rickie Fowler and Jason Kokrak .

Johnson and Garcia are among the players who have resigned from the tour, along with 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen , 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and Kevin Na . The players hoped to avoid punishment from the tour by quitting.

Graeme McDowell , the 2010 U.S. Open champion, said he resigned as a PGA Tour member about 30 minutes before teeing off Thursday. He said he didn't feel he should have to resign but also expected the punishment that was handed down.

"The PGA Tour has to do what they feel is necessary. I don't think it's healthy for the sport," McDowell said. "We're here because we believe we're independent contractors and we believe should be allowed to compete and play where we want all over the world. ... We have a compelling option, which is not agreeable to the biggest tours in the world. It's disappointing, but there is not a lot we can do about it. As players, we're here understanding the consequences of what may lay ahead of us."

Monahan said the 10 players who resigned their PGA Tour memberships would be removed from the FedEx Cup points standings after this week's RBC Canadian Open. He wrote that "these players will not be permitted to play in PGA Tournaments as a non-member via a sponsor exemption" or any other eligibility category.

"This week, the RBC Canadian Open is a shining example of what you have created with the PGA Tour: a star-studded field, a committed sponsor, sold-out hospitality offerings, record crowds and a global broadcast distribution," Monahan wrote. "These elements are part of the Tour's DNA, built by the likes of Jack and Arnie, furthered by Tiger and countless others -- whose legacies are inextricably linked, with each other and with the PGA Tour. This collective legacy can't be bought or sold."

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, a former world No. 1 golfer and two-time winner of The Open, has told ESPN in the past that the new circuit was prepared to help its players fight the PGA Tour's position in court. Norman said he had players who were willing to participate in a legal battle.

"I can only speak on information given to me by our legal team, and I have an extremely talented legal team in antitrust and anticompetitive laws, and we believe we're in the right position," Norman said. "We believe the players are independent contractors and have a right to go play wherever they want to go play."

On May 10, the PGA Tour denied conflicting-event releases to players who had requested them. Monahan had told players several times that they would face punishment for competing in the LIV events without releases.

The first LIV Golf tournament in the United States is scheduled for June 30-July 2 at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Oregon.

The LIV Golf series features 54-hole events, shotgun starts, no cuts and a team format. The seven regular-season events -- a slate that also includes stops in Bedminster, New Jersey; Boston; and Chicago -- are offering $25 million purses, the richest in golf history. The winner gets $4 million, and the last-place finisher gets $120,000. A season-ending team championship, Oct. 27-30 at Trump National Doral in Miami, has a $50 million purse.

According to reports, top players also received signing bonuses from LIV Golf worth more than $100 million.

Schwartzel took the lead Thursday after posting a 5-under 65, with Hennie Du Plessis one back at 4 under. Mickelson and Johnson were tied for seventh after each shooting a 1-under 69.

A longtime PGA Tour player who wasn't approached about playing in the LIV Golf series told ESPN that he agreed that the tour had to punish the players to prevent others from defecting.

"We're going to end up in a worse position because these guys wanted a quick money grab to go play in an exhibition," the player said. "The [Saudis] are going to lose interest eventually. I think we all have a little bit of a responsibility to leave the game better than when we got here, and repping for a shady government with a questionable record isn't doing that."

LIV Golf is supported by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which is controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Salman has been accused of numerous human rights violations, including the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy , speaking at a news conference at the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto on Wednesday, said he was concerned about golf's future.

"I think it's a shame that it's going to fracture the game," McIlroy said. "I think if anything, the professional game is the window shop into golf. If the general public are confused about who is playing where and what tournament's on this week and, OK, he doesn't get into these events, it just becomes so confusing. I think everything needs to try to become more cohesive, and I think it was on a pretty good trajectory until this happened."

ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg contributed to this report.

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LIV Golf player receives two-shot penalty, and barely avoids DQ, for rare rule violation

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LIV Golf’s Scott Vincent had a memorable start to his round at the International Series Morocco.

Vincent, along with his brother Kieran, were the unfortunate victims of their clubs and bags getting lost en route to the Asian Tour event. Believing his luggage to be found prior to his Round 1 tee time, Vincent returned to the airport in Casablanca, a good 90 minutes away, only to discover his clubs had not turned up. By the time Vincent returned to the tournament property, he was in danger of missing his scheduled 12:30 p.m. start time.

According to the Rules of Golf, a player who arrives late or misses their tee time is disqualified from the event. There are three exceptions, however, one of which is arriving no more than five minutes late. Vincent made it to the first tee with 30 seconds to spare, avoiding getting knocked out of the tournament but receiving a two-shot penalty.

To Vincent’s credit, he overcame that initial two-shot deficit to shoot a five-under 68 on the par-73 course, two shots back of the first-round lead. Just as impressive is Vincent doing so with rental and borrowed clubs.

“Lucky enough, we have some really cool people out here on the Asian Tour – it is a friendly tour. A lot of people had clubs, bits and pieces, but obviously it is hard to make up a full set when you do not have anything, so we have a bit of a mixed bag here,” Vincent said. “I have talked a lot to myself about adapting, no matter what, whatever the situation might be. And so just being able to go out there with none of my stuff, even golf shoes, I am taking in the moment, and we will just take it as it comes.”

The good news for Vincent is his clubs were ultimately were located, although the same cannot be said for his Kieran, who is still playing with rentals on Day 2 of the International Series Morocco. Vincent, 32, is 54th out of 56 players in LIV Golf’s season-long individual standings.

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LIV Golf’s Richard Bland Wins U.S. Senior Open for Second Major Title of 2024

John schwarb | jul 1, 2024.

Richard Bland’s remarkable late-career surge in golf can now be called historic.

The Englishman won the weather-delayed U.S. Senior Open on Monday at Newport (R.I.) Country Club, finishing off a final-round 66 in the morning and then defeating Hiroyuki Fujita on the second sudden-death playoff hole to claim the most prestigious 50-and-over title in golf.

He also won in May at the Senior PGA Championship. Bland, 51, is the first player to win his first two senior starts and both be major titles.

“I’m just thrilled beyond words,” Bland said on the 18th green at Newport CC after outlasting Fujita.

The Japanese player had led all week after an opening-round 63 but was caught by Bland in the final round, shooting 66 to Fujita’s 71. That forced a two-hole aggregate playoff, where both players parred the 10th and 18th holes.

That meant sudden-death golf at the tough 466-yard par-4 18th for as long as necessary. The players tied with bogeys on the first go-round, then on the second trip through the 18th Bland nearly holed out from a greenside bunker, hitting the flagstick. It was his first par save from a bunker all week.

WHAT A SHOT! 😱 Richard Bland's clutch bunker shot en route to victory! pic.twitter.com/G3sbdg6jXJ — USGA (@USGA) July 1, 2024

Fujita failed to get up-and-down for par from short of the green, and Bland was a major champion for a second time.

“I was just thankful to get into the playoff,” Bland said. “The trap shot was one of those you could be really aggressive with. I was trying to get inside (of Fujita’s shot), put the pressure back on him.”

Bland won for the first time on the DP World Tour at age 48—in his 478th start—and signed with LIV Golf for its inaugural 2022 season. In 2023 he registered to compete in the Senior British Open, for which he had an exemption as a former DP World Tour winner being 50 years old, but was denied the chance to compete due to outstanding fines relating to his departure for LIV.

He accepted an exemption from the PGA of America to this year’s Senior PGA Championship, and in winning became eligible for the U.S. Senior Open.

He’s not eligible to play on the PGA Tour Champions as a LIV Golf member, though his two major wins count as Champions wins and makes for interesting social media posts from the Tour, especially with Bland wearing his Cleeks GC hat from LIV Golf.

Richard Bland has won the U.S. Senior Open 🏆 He’s now won back-to-back Senior majors. pic.twitter.com/2yHUVkkES5 — PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) July 1, 2024

The U.S. Senior Open was championship No. 1,001 for the United States Golf Association. Its 1,000th was in June at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, which was also won by a LIV player, Bryson DeChambeau .

JOHN SCHWARB

John Schwarb is the senior golf editor for Sports Illustrated whose career has spanned more than 25 years covering sports. He’s been featured on ESPN.com, PGATour.com, The Golfers Journal and Tampa Bay Times. He’s also the author of The Little 500: The Story of the World's Greatest College Weekend. A member of the Golf Writers Association of America, John is based in Indianapolis.

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LIV Golf Invitational London: how much they all won at Centurion Club

Charl Schwartzel won $4.75 million in total prize money at the first LIV Golf event in England - check out how much everyone else took home.

Charl Schwartzel landed a huge $4.75 million payout for winning the individual tournament and also the team competition at the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London at Centurion Club. 

Schwartzel saw out a wire-to-wire victory in St Albans with rounds of 65, 66 and 72 to finish one shot clear of compatriot and Stinger GC team member Hennie du Plessis. 

The Stinger GC team, comprising Schwartzel, du Plessis, Branden Grace and captain Louis Oosthuizen, won by an incredible 14 shots on 20-under par. 

Check out the full prize payouts below: 

How much they all won in the LIV Golf Invitational London individual competition:

1: $4,000,000 - Charl Schwartzel 2: $2,125,000 - Hennie Du Plessis T3: $1,500,000 - Branden Grace, Peter Uihlein 5: $975,000 - Sam Horsfield T6: $800,000 - Oliver Bekker, Adrian Otaegui 8: $625,000 - Dustin Johnson 9: $580,000 - Talor Gooch T10: $560,000 - Graeme McDowell, Justin Harding, Louis Oosthuizen T13: $360,000 - Pablo Larrazabal, Ryosuke Kinoshita T15: $250,000 - Martin Kaymer, Jinichiro Kozuma T17: $232,000 - Richard Bland, JC Ritchie, Laurie Canter T20: $200,000 - Ian Poulter, Scott Vincent T22: $172,000 - Shaun Norris, Wade Orsmby, Sergio Garcia T25: $166,000 - James Piot, Matt Jones, Ian Snyman, Phachara Khongwatmai 29: $158,000 - Lee Westwood T30: $156,000 - Hudson Swafford,Viraj Madappa, Jediah Morgan T33: $150,000 - Kevin Yuan, Phil Mickelson, Travis Smyth, Kevin Na, Chase Koepka T38: $140,000 - Oliver Fisher, Blake Windred, David Puig, Hideto Tanihara, Ratchanon Chantananuwat T43: $130,000 - Bernd Wiesberger, Sihwan Kim 45: $126,000 - Turk Pettit 46: $124,000 - Sadom Kaewkanjana 47: $122,000 - Itthipat Buranatanyarat 48: $120,000 - Andy Ogletree

How much they all won in the LIV Golf Invitational London team competition: 

Team prize is split four ways:

1: $3,000,000 - Stinger GC, -20 (Schwartzel, Du Plessis, Grace, Oosthuizen) 2: $1,500,000 - Crushers GC, -6 (Uihlien, Bland, Smyth, Khongwatmai) 3: $500,000 - Majesticks GC, -5 (Horsfield, Poulter, Westwoon, Canter)

Next Page: Charl Schwartzel wins the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational London

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LIV Golf’s Lee Westwood is at U.S. Senior Open for over-50 tour debut

FILE - Co-Captain Lee Westwood of Majesticks GC hits his shot from the seventh tee during the final round of LIV Golf Houston at Golf Club of Houston on Sunday, June 9, 2024 in Humble, Texas. Westwood, the two-time Masters runner-up and former No. 1 golfer in the world is at the Newport Country Club this week for the U.S. Senior Open, making his over-50 tour debut a year late in part because of a PGA Tour ban on LIV Golf defectors. (Photo by LIV Golf via AP, File)

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NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) — Lee Westwood wants golf’s powers to stop fighting so players like him can get back on the course, where the fans want them.

The two-time Masters runner-up and former No. 1 golfer in the world is at the Newport Country Club this week for the U.S. Senior Open, making his over-50 tour debut a year late in part because of a PGA Tour ban on LIV Golf defectors.

The 51-year-old Westwood received an invite to the Senior Open, which is run by the USGA, as a recent Ryder Cup participant. Richard Bland has also earned an invitation for winning the Senior PGA Championship. The only other LIV golfer over 50 is Phil Mickelson.

“At the end of the day, we’re in the entertainment industry,” Westwood said on Tuesday after a practice round at the course on the mouth of the Narragansett Bay.

“No matter what the level of golf is, I think if the best players at every level don’t come together and play, there’s only one loser, and that’s the fans watching,” he said. “We need to somehow figure a way that we can get the best players playing against each other more often.”

Westwood ascended to the No. 1 ranking in 2010 after finishing in the top three in four of the previous five majors. That ended Tiger Woods’ record run of 281 weeks as the world’s top-ranked golfer; the Englishman held the No. 1 ranking for 22 weeks.

Although Westwood has never won a major, he has finished in the top five a dozen times.

Seems like the perfect candidate for a tour that was designed to give fans another chance to root on their favorites. But the PGA Tour’s policy is that LIV golfers have to wait one year from their last appearance on the Saudi-backed circuit to play in PGA Tour or PGA Tour Champions events.

In addition, the European tour has fined Westwood 850,000 British pounds – more than $1 million – a fine he repeated on Tuesday he has no intention of paying. “We’ll have to find a way around that,” he said.

“At any level, it’s disappointing they can’t resolve it,” Westwood said. “The Champions Tour for me is important because people have watched myself play and other guys out here play for the last 30, 40 years, and they build relationships with those players and they’ve seen us grow as players and people.

“Yes, people want to see the youngsters, the new guys on the block coming through and contending,” he said. “But they also want to see the guys they’ve made a bond with over the last 30, 40 years.”

Westwood is coming off a tie for third at last week’s LIV event outside of Nashville, Tennessee — his best result of the season. He said he didn’t feel like he needed a strong performance in Newport to make his larger point.

“Everybody that I talked to said it’s great to see myself and Richard playing here,” Westwood said, adding that he thought the victory by LIV’s Bryson DeChambeau in the U.S. Open was good for the sport.

“It’s basically getting all the best players together in one tournament to compete against each other, and that’s what you want at the highest level,” Westwood said. “You want all the best players there.”

One of five founding members of the USGA, the 7,024-yard, par-70 Newport Country Club was originally supposed to host the Senior Open in 2020 that was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve been looking forward to this event now for quite a few years,” said Ernie Els, a four-time major champion who has five victories on the senior tour. “I was really looking forward to it in 2020, and I’m glad it’s come around now.”

Golfers out for practice rounds said the seaside course reminded them of a British links-style track — especially in the way the wind has such a big effect on how it plays. On Tuesday morning, the wind was blowing in their faces on the first tee; by the afternoon, it had swung around 180 degrees.

“We played with some big winds yesterday and some different winds today,” said Brett Quigley, a native Rhode Islander and sort of unofficial host of the tournament. “It’s going to play significantly different depending on the wind direction. That will be part of the great challenge.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf