In a memo sent to members of the PGA Tour on Thursday, commissioner Jay Monahan was true to his word toward players who opt to play in the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
You are no longer welcome on the PGA Tour.
“We have followed the Tournament Regulations from start to finish in responding to those players who have decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully violating a regulation,” Monahan wrote in the memo obtained by Golfweek. “Simultaneous to you receiving this memo, the players are being notified that they are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup.
“This also applies to all tours sanctioned by the PGA Tour: the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Champions, PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamérica.”
The memo was sent shortly after the first tee shots were hit in London in the first LIV Golf Invitational Series events.
Among those suspended were Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Matt Jones. Also suspended were players who have resigned their membership, including Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.
The first of eight events of the LIV Golf Invitational Series this year began Thursday at the Centurion Club outside of London. In addition to staggering signing bonus – Phil Mickelson reportedly received $200 million to sign – LIV Golf presents a team format consisting of 54-hole, no-cut, 48-man fields featuring more than $255 million in prize money.
The winner this week in London will receive $4 million.
The league is spearheaded by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds.
LIV Golf released a statement shortly after the PGA Tour’s:
“Today’s announcement by the PGA Tour is vindictive and 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. 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 players who have been disciplined did not receive the necessary conflicting event and media rights releases. As for any players joining up in the future, they, too, will be suspended. That would included Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, who reportedly have signed on with LIV Golf and will be playing in the second tournament next month in Portland.
The memo stated the players who resigned their PGA Tour membership will be removed from the FedEx Cup points list.
“These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons,” Monahan wrote. “But they can’t demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as (full members). 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.”
These are the players listed in the memo who have been suspended or are “otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup”:
Sergio Garcia
Talor Gooch
Branden Grace
Dustin Johnson
Matt Jones
Martin Kaymer
Graeme McDowell
Phil Mickelson
Kevin Na
Andy Olgetree
Louis Oosthuizen
Turk Pettit
Ian Poulter
Charl Schwartzel
Hudson Swafford
Peter Uihlein
Lee Westwood