PGA

Rory McIlroy spoke out about the wave of players leaving the PGA Tour to play for the new LIV Golf Series.

Speaking to reporters before the start of the Canadian Open, McIlroy said the decisions "you make in your life purely for money doesn't usually end up going the right way."

He went on to note he's made those types of decisions before, "a couple times in my life."

There have been at least eight players thus far who have resigned their PGA Tour membership in order to play in the new circuit that is being funded by the Saudi Arabian government.

A majority of the players who have spoken about their decision to join LIV have said the money offered was a key factor.

Dustin Johnson, who is being paid around $125 million to join the series, told reporters on Tuesday he "chose what’s best for me and my family."

Phil Mickelson, who is also playing for the LIV tour but hasn't resigned his PGA Tour membership, is being paid around $200 million for his participation, per Brentley Romine of the Golf Channel.

Tuesday's press conference with Johnson and other players at Centurion Golf Club in London got heated amid questions about working events on behalf of Saudi Arabia given the country's track record of human rights abuses.

Graham McDowell was really the only LIV Golf participant willing to (somewhat) engage with broader, non-golf questions so I’m sharing his full answer here. You can decide how to view it, as well as Ari’s decision to wrap the presser here. pic.twitter.com/Dyp0omz4EX

— Kevin Van Valkenburg (@KVanValkenburg) June 7, 2022

Per ESPN's Kevin Van Valkenburg, Associated Press reporter Rob Harris was led out of the press conference by security when he tried to ask a question and was cut off by an LIV spokesperson.

McIlroy told reporters last week he was "indifferent" when the field for the first LIV event was announced. The three-time major champion noted he has "some very close friends" playing in the London tournament, but "it's not something that I would do personally."

The LIV Series is scheduled to begin with a 54-hole event that begins on Thursday.

McIlroy is in the field for the Canadian Open that begins on Thursday. He's also scheduled to play in the U.S. Open next week at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

The exodus of star players from the PGA Tour continued Wednesday with Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed reportedly set to join the LIV Golf series.

Per James Corrigan of the Telegraph, DeChambeau and Reed have agreed to "multimillion-dollar deals" to leave the PGA Tour in favor of the Saudi Arabia-financed upstart.

At least eight players, including DeChambeau and Reed, have resigned their PGA Tour memberships to join LIV Golf.

Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace previously announced they were stepping away from the PGA Tour.

Phil Mickelson has also announced he will play for LIV, but he is keeping his PGA Tour membership card.

Corrigan noted it's "understood" that Rickie Fowler is "close to being confirmed" for the LIV tour too.

Per Dan Rapaport of Golf Digest, players are preemptively resigning from the PGA Tour to join LIV to avoid potential discipline from the PGA.

"It's to avoid any type of sanctioning," one agent told Rapaport. "It's a perceived leverage play. Basically, you can't fire me if I quit."

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said in a statement that members "have not been authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League's London event" and would be subject to "disciplinary action" for violating tournament regulations.

There hasn't been official confirmation of how much money players are being paid to participate in LIV Golf, but Golf Channel's Brentley Romine reported Mickelson's contract with the series is worth approximately $200 million.

One issue that hasn't been clarified is whether LIV players can participate in golf majors that aren't operated by the PGA Tour.

The U.S. Golf Association says LIV golfers can compete in the U.S. Open, which begins June 16.

LIV will hold its first event at Centurion Club in London, starting Thursday.

Tiger Woods announced Tuesday he won't take part in next week's 2022 U.S. Open at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

The 15-time major champion expressed optimism he'll be ready to play before the Open Championship, which will take place at the legendary Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland next month:

I previously informed the USGA that I will not be competing in the @usopengolf as my body needs more time to get stronger for major championship golf. I do hope and plan to be ready to play in Ireland at @JPProAm and at @TheOpen next month. I’m excited to get back out there soon!

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) June 7, 2022

Woods withdrew from the PGA Championship in May after a third round where he was in obvious physical discomfort en route to a nine-over 79.

The 46-year-old fan favorite returned to competition at the Masters in April, just 14 months after suffering significant leg injuries in a February 2021 car crash in California.

While there have been flashes of the pure ball-striking that made him nearly unbeatable in his prime, putting together four rounds has proved elusive as he works to regain stamina.

Woods posted a 78-78 over the weekend at Augusta. After a promising 69 in the second round of the PGA Championship, he carded seven bogeys and a triple bogey during a Saturday round that featured far more pain-filled winces than birdies.

Sitting out the U.S. Open gives him an extra month of rest and recovery before his next tournament.

The JP McManus Pro-Am, which benefits charities in Ireland, is set for July 4-5, followed by the Open Championship on July 14-17.

In November, Woods confirmed to Henni Koyack of Golf Digest his days of playing a full PGA Tour schedule are behind him.

"I think something that is realistic is playing the tour one day—never full-time, ever again—but pick and choose, just like Mr. [Ben] Hogan did. Pick and choose a few events a year and you play around that," he said.

Most likely, that means trying to play the four majors and a select few other events where he's found consistent success in the past, such as the Arnold Palmer Invitational (eight wins).

Skipping the U.S. Open to give himself a better chance to get closer to full strength for the trip to St. Andrews doesn't come as a surprise, though. He won the Open Championship at the famed Scottish venue in both 2000 and 2005.

While he's yet to show the form necessary to contend for a 16th major title, which would move him within two of Jack Nicklaus for the all-time record, Tiger has maintained since the day he arrived on tour that he only shows up to an event if he believes he can win.

He figures to deliver that same message when he arrives at St Andrews next month.

Phil Mickelson said he won't resign from the PGA Tour like other golfers, including Dustin Johnson, have done as they prepare to play in the inaugural LIV Golf event this week in London.

Mickelson, a PGA Tour member since 1992 who's recorded 45 wins in the tour's events, told Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated that he's hopeful a decision will be made to allow for freedom of player movement.

"I have not resigned my membership," he said Monday. "I worked really hard to earn that lifetime membership. And I'm hopeful that I'll have the ability to play wherever I want, where it's the PGA Tour, LIV or wherever else I want."

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan has maintained that any player who tees it up on the rival tour would be subject to a suspension and possible lifetime ban.

Greg Norman, a former PGA Tour star who is the CEO of LIV Golf, wrote in a February memo that the new league doesn't believe the PGA has legal standing to ban players, per Rex Hoggard of Golf Channel.

"In our view and in the eyes of the law, the PGA Tour's threats are utterly impermissible under competition and other laws," Norman wrote.

The major tournaments are separate entities from the tour, and Mickelson told Harig he's under the impression that he can compete in the four premier events despite going to LIV.

"I've had many conversations with the organizations that run the majors," he said. "And I do want to keep those conversations private. But I am looking forward to playing the U.S. Open and I'll be there. I'm under the understanding that I'm able to play."

While players have offered a variety of reasons for switching, including the team format and no-cut tournaments, the main allure is obvious: money.

Brentley Romine of Golf Channel reported Monday that Mickelson signed a contract Saturday worth $200 million. Each of the seven LIV tournaments will feature a $25 million prize pool ahead of a team championship event with $50 million in prize money.

The LIV Golf Invitational Series is funded by Saudi Arabia, which has led to questions about the country's history of human rights violations and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

"I certainly do not condone human rights violations. And addressing what happened to Jamal Khashoggi is awful," Mickelson said. "But I have seen the good that game of golf has done throughout history. And I really believe that LIV can be good for the game of golf as well."

What happens next is a mystery. The PGA Tour, which is hosting the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto opposite the first LIV tournament, may wait until that event in London gets underway to announce punishments for participating players.

From there, a court battle could ensue to determine whether golfers have the freedom to play on both tours.

It creates a drama-filled environment ahead of next week's U.S. Open, the season's third major.

Dustin Johnson confirmed Tuesday he's resigned from the PGA Tour in order to join LIV Golf, which is holding its inaugural event this week in London.

Johnson described the LIV series, which is financially backed by Saudi Arabia, as a "true test," and he'll wait to see how the PGA Tour handles players who compete in the rival competition.

"Obviously at this time it's hard to speak on what the consequences will be, but for right now, I've resigned my membership from the PGA Tour," the two-time major champion told reporters. "I'm going to play here for now, and that's the plan. What the consequences are going to be, I can't comment on how the tour is going to handle it."

An immediate test of the PGA Tour's power over traditional golf will come next week when the next major championship, the 2022 U.S. Open, takes place in Massachusetts.

The U.S. Open is run by the USGA, which doesn't have to enforce any bans put in place by the tour. In turn, Johnson expressed confidence he'll be able to play in the four major events along with the LIV Golf schedule.

"I can't answer for the majors, but hopefully they're going to allow us to play," Johnson said Tuesday. "Obviously, I'm exempt for the majors, so I plan on playing unless I hear otherwise."

If he's eligible for the majors, the biggest loss for Johnson and the other LIV golfers will be removal from consideration for the Ryder Cup.

The 37-year-old South Carolina native said the international event has "definitely meant a lot to me" and he's hopeful the decision is reversed before next year's tournament.

"Obviously, all things are subject to change," Johnson said. "Hopefully at some point it will change and I'll be able to participate. If it doesn't, well, it was another thing I really had to think long and hard about. Ultimately, I decided to come to this and play out here."

He'd also be ineligible for the Presidents Cup, which is next scheduled for September.

A 20-time winner on the PGA Tour, Johnson stated in February he was "fully committed" to the Tour despite interest from LIV Golf.

His decision to reverse course came amid a £100 million offer ($125 million) from LIV, per James Corrigan and Tom Morgan of the Telegraph.

Greg Norman, who won 20 times on the PGA Tour and now serves as the CEO of LIV Golf, told Kent Babb of the Washington Post it also offered Tiger Woods a deal that was "mind-blowingly enormous; we're talking about high nine digits," but he turned it down.

A commitment from Woods could have tipped the scales in favor of LIV, but getting a former top-ranked player in Johnson along with a legend like Phil Mickelson should help generate interest from both golfers and fans alike.

The biggest question for the long-term viability of LIV is likely whether fans take to the format—48 players split into 12 four-man teams. It's a stark variation from the typical solo nature of golf.

Johnson said Tuesday he's confident the new style is going to work.

"Ever since I was first introduced to this idea, I thought it was great for the game of golf," he said. "I was excited about a new format, a new kind of golf that I think is great for the game, is great for the fans, and I think it's going to be very exciting.”

While LIV makes its debut at London's Centurion Club, the PGA Tour is set to host the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto this weekend.

LIV Golf, the breakaway golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia attempting to position itself as a major competitor to the PGA Tour, apparently tried to convince the biggest name in golf to join the fold.

LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman told Kent Babb of the Washington Post (h/t Joel Beall of Golf Digest) that Woods was offered a deal that was "mind-blowingly enormous; we're talking about high nine digits."

Woods previously told reporters he is committed to the PGA Tour:

You know, [Phil Mickelson] has his opinion on where he sees the game of golf going. I have my viewpoint on how I see the game of golf, and I've supported the tour and my foundation has run events on the tour for a number of years. I just think that what Jack [Nicklaus] and Arnold [Palmer] have done in starting the tour and breaking away from the PGA of America and creating our tour in '68 or '69, somewhere in there, I just think there's a legacy to that.

I've been playing out here for a couple of years over decades, and I think there's a legacy to it. I still think that the tour has so much to offer, so much opportunity. … I understand different viewpoints, but I believe in legacies; I believe in major championships; I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There's plenty of money out here. The tour is growing. But it's just like any other sport. It's like tennis. You have to go out there and earn it. You've got to go out there and play for it. We have opportunity to go ahead and do it. It's just not guaranteed up front.

Beall noted PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said players will be suspended or perhaps even banned if they joined LIV Golf. The PGA Tour also denied releases for players to participate in the rival league's inaugural event in London, which starts Thursday and conflicts with the RBC Canadian Open.

Woods wasn't the only member of proverbial golf royalty approached by the Saudi-backed league.

Jack Nicklaus, who holds the record for major championships at 18 and hosts the Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour's schedule, told Michael Bamberger of the Fire Pit Collective he was "offered something in excess of $100 million by the Saudis, to do the job probably similar to the one that Greg [Norman] is doing."

He also said, "I've got zero interest in wanting to do something like that. I don't care what kind of money they would have thrown at me. My allegiance has been to the PGA Tour. I grew up on the PGA Tour. I helped found the PGA Tour as it is today. My allegiance is there and it's going to stay there."

Norman told Babb that Nicklaus is a "hypocrite" who previously suggested that LIV Golf would be "good for our game."

Norman also said Rory McIlroy is someone who has been "brainwashed" by the PGA Tour "monopolists" after the four-time major champion told reporters the LIV Golf field is nothing to "jump up and down about."

That field will include Phil Mickelson, who announced he signed with the rival league even though he still intends to play in majors:

pic.twitter.com/riT2ot0yvk

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2022

Brentley Romine of Golf Channel reported Lefty's contract is worth approximately $200 million, making him part of a group that includes Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na and Sergio Garcia and may compete in London.

There are some notable names, but the massive money wasn't enough to convince Woods.

Phil Mickelson has signed with LIV Golf, the breakaway golf tour backed by Saudi Arabia.

pic.twitter.com/riT2ot0yvk

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2022

Mickelson noted he still intends to play in majors.

Brentley Romine of Golf Channel reported Mickelson's contract is worth in the range of $200 million.

Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post reported Mickelson will compete in LIV Golf's inaugural event in London, which begins Thursday. The details of his deal aren't yet known.

The 51-year-old is the biggest star to align himself with LIV Golf, a group that includes Dustin Johnson, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Kevin Na.

Monday's news was widely expected after Mickelson telegraphed his intentions during an interview with Fire Pit Collective's Alan Shipnuck.

The six-time major champion described the Saudi regime as "scary motherf--kers" who "have a horrible record on human rights." Still, he said the Saudi league was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

The comments drew widespread derision, including from Mickelson's peers. He issued a statement apologizing for the remarks:

A Statement from Phil Mickelson pic.twitter.com/2saaXIxhpu

— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) February 22, 2022

Mickelson effectively became persona non grata on the PGA Tour. He hasn't competed since the Farmers Insurance Open in January, and ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Kevin Van Valkenburg reported that some question whether he'll ever be back on the tour.

Ahead of the Memorial Tournament last week, the PGA Tour issued a statement about LIV Golf.

"As communicated to our entire membership on May 10, PGA Tour members have not been authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League's London event, under PGA Tour Tournament Regulations," the tour said, per Schlabach. "Members who violate the Tournament Regulations are subject to disciplinary action."

Although Mickelson indicated his desire to compete in golf's four major tournaments, it's unclear whether signing with LIV Golf will jeopardize his—and others'—eligibility for those events.

The 2022 U.S. Open tees off June 16, and Mickelson is among those who have qualified for the event. Whether he plays could be the first big test of how well the PGA Tour can fight off the threat LIV Golf poses.

Billy Horschel held on to win the Memorial Tournament on Sunday at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio.

This is the seventh PGA Tour win of Horschel's career.

Handshake for Horschel 🏆@BillyHo_Golf wins @MemorialGolf for his seventh TOUR victory. pic.twitter.com/wSZjqsvI4C

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 5, 2022

The 35-year-old sank a 53-foot eagle putt on No. 15 to remove any real drama about the final outcome.

For EAGLE 🦅 pic.twitter.com/3c6m5J4pVk

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) June 5, 2022

Billy Horschel's 52' 10" putt at the par-5 15th in the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday marked his first eagle in 573 holes played to that point in the event.

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 5, 2022

Horschel carded an even-par 72 on the day, which was all he needed thanks to the sizable cushion he had before play began. At 13 under, he was four shots ahead of Aaron Wise in second place.

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2022 Memorial Tournament Leaderboard

1. Billy Horschel (-13)

2. Aaron Wise (-9)

T3. Patrick Cantlay (-7)

T3. Joaquin Niemann (-7)

T5. Max Homa (-6)

T5. Will Zalatoris (-6)

T5. Denny McCarthy (-6)

T5. Sahith Theegala (-6)

T5. Daniel Berger (-6)

T10. Sungjae Im (-4)

T10. Jon Rahm (-4)

T10. Brendan Steele (-4)

Full leaderboard available at PGATour.com

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Horschel was firmly in control heading into the final round. His seven-under 65 on Saturday put him five shots ahead of Wise and Cameron Smith.

"I'm not going to be protective, I'm not going to be overly aggressive," he said Saturday of what his mindset would be when he returned to the course Sunday. "I'm going to play the way I have the last three days. We're going to hit the golf shots that are required, and I know if we do that it's going to give me the best chance to be victorious come tomorrow."

Perhaps Horschel was playing a little too conservatively.

As he made the turn to the back nine, his lead had slimmed to three shots. He had bogeyed the sixth hole, while Joaquin Niemann was moving up the leaderboard after going three under through his first three holes.

Bogey for @BillyHo_Golf on No. 6.

His first bogey in his last 50 holes. pic.twitter.com/3v6geIKw1R

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 5, 2022

A birdie on No. 10 probably helped to settle Horschel's nerves a bit, but if so, it only yielded a momentary boost. A bogey on the 12th hole put him back at 12 under, only two shots ahead of Wise.

Lead is down to 2.

Billy Horschel escapes the 12th with a bogey after coming up short out of the bunker. pic.twitter.com/5mphUn5Eua

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 5, 2022

Wise encountered a setback with a bogey on No. 9, but back-to-back birdies to open the back nine had him hot on Horschel's heels again.

Leading the field in SG: Approach to the green 💪@AaronWise_ is at 10-under. pic.twitter.com/eL8TZjmtwG

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 5, 2022

Wise undid that progress with another bogey on No. 13, which put his deficit at three strokes again. On the 14th green, he was unable to capitalize on Horschel two-putting his way to par, as his birdie putt rolled inches right of the cup.

One hole later, the tournament was effectively over with Horschel's eagle. Moments before that, Wise watched his approach land on the green and roll to a stop just short of the hole to narrowly miss out on an eagle for himself.

While Wise maintained his challenge for the title well into the final day, the wheels quickly fell off for Smith.

The 28-year-old Australian bogeyed No. 1, and things didn't get any better from there. Double bogeys on the seventh and ninth holes put him at six over for the round, removing him from contention and sending him tumbling down the leaderboard.

Patrick Cantlay's title defense didn't get off to a great start with an even-par 72 in the opening round. He was never much of a threat from that point forward but played his way into a top-three finish.

Likewise, Jon Rahm couldn't recapture his magic from last year, when he was cruising his way to the title before having to withdraw. Rahm had his best round Sunday (three-under 69), which didn't make up for his nondescript showing the previous three days.

The RBC Canadian Open is the last stop on the PGA Tour before the U.S. Open tees off June 16 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Could this be the weekend Billy Horschel finally captures his first win of the 2022 golf season?

The American's impressive third round at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, on Saturday saw him capture the lead from Cameron Smith, who was the leader through the first two rounds.

Horschel rose three spots on the leaderboard during Saturday's third round to lead the field at 13-under par entering Sunday's final round. It's a significant improvement from his last outing in which he missed the cut at the Charles Schwab Challenge last month.

Here is a look at the top of the leaderboard ahead of Sunday's final round. The full leaderboard can be found at PGATour.com.

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Leaderboard

1. Billy Horschel, -13

T2. Aaron Wise, -8

T2. Cameron Smith, -8

T4. Daniel Berger, -7

T4. Francesco Molinari, -7

T4. Johnatton Vegas, -7

---

Horschel entered the third round at six-under par through the first two rounds, but he put together his best performance of the tournament, and arguably the season, on Saturday to capture the lead.

The 35-year-old opened up with a birdie on the first hole before carding three more birdies on the front nine to bring his score to four-under par for the day.

Leader at 10-under.@BillyHo_Golf is heating up 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Of4IVbvigC

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 4, 2022

Horschel went on to card three more birdies on the back nine as he finished seven-under par for the day. It marked his second straight bogey-free day.

He also went bogey-free in the second round and is the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to have the only bogey-free round of the day in consecutive rounds, per ESPN Stats and Information.

After his @MemorialGolf Third Round performance, @BillyHo_Golf sits at 13-under-par and has a five-stroke lead. pic.twitter.com/cKvDbtjfpz

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) June 4, 2022

Billy Horschel completes another bogey-free round, the 2nd straight day that he has posted the only bogey-free round in the field.

The last player to have the only bogey-free round of the day in consecutive rounds was Tiger Woods at the 2002 Genuity Championship. pic.twitter.com/fD9IYmJWro

— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 4, 2022

While Horschel holds a five-stroke lead entering the final round, he'll have his work cut out for him on Sunday with Smith and Aaron Wise on his tail at eight-under par.

Smith, who entered the third round with the lead, had a disappointing performance Saturday. He carded two bogeys on his first two holes before getting his first birdie of the afternoon on the fifth hole.

While it appeared the Australian was making some progress on the final four holes of the front nine, he recorded his third bogey of the day on the 10th hole and two more bogeys on the back nine to finish even for the round.

That said, things could have gone worse for Smith, and he's still in contention for the lead.

WOW, that was quite a shot Cameron Smith 🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/mbDMv1NcFQ

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) June 4, 2022

Unlike Smith, Wise had an impressive third round after entering five-under par through two rounds. He carded three birdies and a bogey on the front nine before carding another birdie on the back nine to finish three-under for the day.

The 25-year-old has three top-10 finishes this year, but has yet to win this season. His only PGA Tour victory came at the AT&T Byron Nelson in 2018.

While both players will put pressure on Horschel in the final round, the Florida native didn't appear worried about losing the lead while speaking with Amanda Balionis of CBS Sports following the conclusion of the third round.

"I'm one of the top players in the world and I can compete anywhere against anybody," Horschel said while discussing both his struggles at the Charles Schwab Challenge and the PGA Championship over the last few weeks, in addition to his stellar performance on Saturday.

Current leader @BillyHo_Golf joined @Amanda_Balionis after the @MemorialGolf Third Round to discuss his performance today and his plan for tomorrow.

"I'm one of the top players in the world and I can compete anywhere against anybody." pic.twitter.com/uPsjcT4xjE

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) June 4, 2022

Horschel will aim to hold off the field in the final round on Sunday to capture his first PGA Tour victory since the 2021 World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.

As for some notable names, Will Zalatoris and Rory McIlory are among those tied for 15th at four-under par, while Jordan Spieth is tied for 19th at three-under par. Collin Morikawa, Tom Hoge and Bryson DeChambeau are among those that missed the cut at this year's tournament.

Kevin Na announced that he has resigned from the PGA Tour after committing to the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

This was a very difficult decision for me. I hope my fans will continue to support me wherever I choose to play. Thank you. pic.twitter.com/3Vp2e7cPfH

— Kevin Na (@kevinna915) June 4, 2022

The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational will take place from June 9-11 in London at the Centurion Club. Na will be one of 48 players taking part in the tournament.

The upstart golf league has received much criticism due to its billions in Saudi funding. Saudi Arabia has a lengthy history of human rights abuses and violations, but that has not stopped nearly 50 golfers from competing in London next week.

Phil Mickelson notably received a torrent of criticism after an extract from a book written by Alan Shipnuck told a story of a conversation with Mickelson in which he acknowledged the human rights abuses but mentioned his desire to consider playing in the LIV Golf series because of his concerns with the PGA Tour.

Anyone committing to LIV Golf also puts their PGA Tour status in jeopardy. The Tour released a statement after news of the field broke.

"As communicated to our membership on May 10, PGA Tour members have not been authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League's London event, under PGA Tour regulations," the statement read per ESPN's Mark Schlabach. "Members who violate the tournament regulations are subject to disciplinary action."

Schlabach also said that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan spoke with agents of some players and said that golfers could not compete on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf Series.

As far as Na and other golfers go, Eamon Lynch of Golfweek provided some insight.

Other LIV players will, like Kevin Na, probably resign their PGA Tour memberships, which means they can’t be suspended but would just lose their status. That in turn removes the most likely basis on which the USGA might have prevented them playing the U.S. Open this month.

— Eamon Lynch (@eamonlynch) June 4, 2022

The LIV Golf series will feature eight events this year. It will be a team format that sees the 48 golfers split into groups of four. A championship event in Miami starting October 27 will close the series.