LIV Golf

LIV Golf is amid its inaugural season, having completed just two of eight events, but we're already beginning to learn of some changes set to be introduced for the 2023 campaign.

The Saudi-backed league plans to use relegation and a promotion tournament in its third season, according to Sports Illustrated's Alex Miceli. This means that it will keep a rankings list and the top 24 players at each event will earn points toward keeping their ranking for the 2024 campaign.

Four players at the bottom of the 2023 rankings will be relegated by LIV and the top 24 players will keep their status for the next season.

"According to sources, the relegation process is designed to ensure that the player pool in the LIV Golf Invitational events is refreshed each year, and that there is a clear, open and fair pathway for any player in the world to earn their place in these events," Miceli wrote.

However, team captains and players who have agreements in place with LIV Golf may be exempt from relegation, which means the likes of Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau could be exempt. If a captain ends up being relegated, they can still manage their team.

Any player that is relegated can re-qualify by competing in the LIV "Promotions" event. It will be played over three or four days in 2023 and possibly include a 36-hole finale. Three players will move up from the event.

The news comes after Sports Illustrated's Bob Harig reported last month that the LIV Golf Invitational Series would transition to the LIV Golf League in 2023 and feature 12 set teams with four players each.

The new concept will feature 14 events.

While the PGA Tour is competing against LIV Golf, the Ladies Professional Golf Association would at least consider doing business with the Saudi Arabia-backed league, LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan said Saturday.

"It's my responsibility to evaluate every opportunity," Marcoux Samaan told Cathy Harris of the London Times (h/t Beth Ann Nichols of Golfweek). "I would engage in a conversation if it would achieve our aim of promoting women's golf, but there needs to be input from players and sponsors. There's a lot of factors to consider before we do business with LIV Golf."

Marcoux Samaan's comments come after LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman told the Palm Beach Post (h/t Golfweek) that he was "100 percent confident" about starting a women's golf league.

"We have discussed it internally, the opportunity is there," Norman said. "Aramco is already the largest sponsor of women's golf in the world. Aramco, a Saudi company."

Aramco, a Saudi oil company, sponsors six events on the Ladies European Tour with prize money totaling $6 million.

The Saudi government has been accused of numerous human rights abuses, including the assassination of Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Critics have also accused the government of sportswashing, using the new league to improve its reputation around the world.

A number of top players on the PGA Tour have already joined the LIV Golf Invitational Series. The breakaway circuit has offered some players more than $100 million to move on from the PGA Tour, and the league's purse sizes, with the winner of each event receiving $4 million, have also been enticing.

As for the women's game, 20-time LPGA Tour winner Cristie Kerr said last month that "almost the entire tour" would make the jump to LIV Golf if it were in a similar situation to the men's game.

The European Ryder Cup team announced Wednesday that Henrik Stenson has been stripped of his captaincy ahead of the 2023 event.

BBC Sport reported the decision comes amid rumors Stenson is set to join LIV Golf.

"It is not possible for him to continue in the role of captain. His tenure as captain has been brought to an end with immediate effect," Ryder Cup Europe said. "In light of decisions made by Henrik in relation to his personal circumstances, it has become clear that he will not be able to fulfill certain contractual obligations to Ryder Cup Europe."

Stenson was announced as Europe's new Ryder Cup captain in March and shot down speculation he'd consider jumping to a rival tour, which would threaten that role.

"There's been a lot of speculation back and forth, but I am fully committed to the captaincy and to Ryder Cup Europe and the job at hand," Stenson told reporters. "The captain does sign a contract. He's the only one that does that."

Rumors about his future re-emerged after he missed the cut at last week's Open Championship. He was asked about his upcoming schedule and said he was "undecided."

Ewan Murray of The Guardian reported the 46-year-old Swede is indeed heading for LIV Golf, and he could debut as soon as next week in New Jersey after accepting a "lucrative offer."

LIV, which is financially backed by Saudi Arabia and has been accused of being a "sportswashing" venture, has been able to attract several high-profile golfers through the allure of massive guaranteed contracts and a limited schedule of 54-hole, no-cut events.

Tiger Woods is among the PGA Tour stars who've criticized players who made the switch.

"I think that what they've done is they've turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position," Woods said before The Open last week.

So far, both Team United States and Team Europe have operated as if golfers who play in LIV Golf won't be eligible for next year's Ryder Cup, which is scheduled to take place at Italy's Marco Simone Golf and Country Club starting Sept. 29, 2023.

ESPN's Mark Schlabach noted potential replacements for Stenson include Luke Donald, Paul Lawrie and Robert Karlsson.

Stenson is a five-time member of Europe's Ryder Cup squad, making his debut in 2006 and most recently playing in the 2018 event.

Individually, he twice won the European Tour's Race to Dubai (2013 and 2016) and captured his only major championship at The Open in 2016.

He's now set to join a LIV roster that also features Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Sergio Garcia, among others.

World No. 2 golfer Cameron Smith is coming off a victory at The Open Championship last weekend, and it appears he's gearing up for a change of scenery.

According to TMZ Sports, Smith is "closing in" on a deal to join LIV Golf, which would make him the latest star to jump from the PGA Tour in favor of the Saudi Arabia-backed organization.

Smith, who shot an eight-under 64 on Sunday to seal his victory at St. Andrews, was asked after the tournament if he planned on joining LIV Golf. While he seemed to be annoyed by the question, he didn't deny the possibility.

"I just won the British Open, and you're asking about that. I think that's pretty not that good," Smith said. "I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments."

Smith was also congratulated by LIV Golf Commissioner Greg Norman on Twitter, which further fueled speculation that he's set to join LIV's lineup of competitors.

If the deal is completed, Smith would join a long list of recognizable names to jump to LIV Golf, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau. However, Smith would be the highest-ranked player to join the controversial breakaway league.

LIV Golf has enticed top players to make the leap from the PGA Tour by handing out substantial contracts. Mickelson reportedly received a $200 million deal to sign with the league. While Smith likely won't command that value, it can be expected that the 28-year-old Australian is attracted to the prospect of earning a nine-figure deal.

The PGA Tour has said it will ban any players who compete in LIV Golf events with the possibility of barring them from participating in the four major championships beginning in 2023.

David Feherty is reportedly expected to join the LIV Golf tour as an analyst.

According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Feherty has parted ways with NBC after seven years to join LIV Golf's broadcast team for the upstart tour's eight to 10 tournaments per year.

Feherty spent nearly two decades as an analyst for CBS prior to his run with NBC and the Golf Channel. The 63-year-old was part of NBC's coverage of The Open Championship last weekend.

Feherty joins Arlo White, formerly NBC's soccer play-by-play announcer, who signed on as LIV Golf's lead commentator. Last week, TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley said during an appearance on The Next Round (h/t the New York Post) that he would meet with LIV to discuss a potential broadcasting role.

The public investment fund of Saudi Arabia bankrolls LIV Golf, and the government has been accused of using the tour to sportswash its extensive history of human rights violations, including the 2018 assassination of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Last month, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan suspended 17 players who competed in LIV's inaugural event, and he said that fate awaits other players who do the same.

"It's my job to protect, defend and celebrate our loyal PGA Tour members, our partners and our fans. And that's exactly what I did," Monahan said. "And I don't think it was a surprise to anybody, given how clear I had been about how we were going to handle this situation."

LIV Golf's next event will begin July 29 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. A group called 9/11 Justice has called on former President Donald Trump to cancel the event.

Mastercard announced Saturday that it paused its endorsement deals with Ian Poulter and Graeme McDowell after the golfers left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.

According to ESPN's Tom VanHaaren, Mastercard vice president of communications Seth Eisen released a statement, saying: "We have paused the activation of our relationship with Ian and Graeme, recognizing the uncertainties around their standing with the PGA Tour."

VanHaaren noted that Poulter has partnered with Mastercard since 2009, while McDowell has been with the company since 2011.

LIV Golf is financially backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.

The country has a history of human rights violations, and a U.S. intelligence report determined that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman approved the operation that killed Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of "sportswashing," which is the act of using sports to deflect from a poor reputation in other areas, such as human rights.

In addition to the formation of LIV Golf, Saudi Arabia has hosted several major sporting events, including boxing matches, a Formula One race and WWE pay-per-views.

Mastercard is the latest in a long line of companies to suspend or pull its partnerships from golfers who signed with LIV Golf.

Per VanHaaren, Rocket Mortgage suspended Bryson DeChambeau's endorsement deal; RBC moved on from McDowell and Dustin Johnson; and WorkDay, KPMG and Amstel ended their relationships with Phil Mickelson.

The 46-year-old Poulter has long been one of the top English golfers, earning three PGA Tour wins and 10 victories on the European Tour.

Poulter has never won a major, but he has finished sixth or better in each of the Masters, PGA Championship and Open Championship.

McDowell, a 42-year-old native of Northern Ireland, has won four PGA Tour events and 11 European Tour tournaments, and he was the 2010 U.S. Open champion.

The LIV Golf International Series doesn't hold a candle to the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup in the eyes of Justin Thomas.

Thomas told reporters, "You can't compare those," ahead of the Genesis Scottish Open:

"There's no event on Tour that's like the Ryder Cup or the Presidents Cup until you stand on the first tee in France and there's 10,000 people there and I feel like I wouldn't even be able to get a golf ball on a tee I'm so nervous and my hands are shaking so bad. Yeah, I probably wouldn't comment on saying that one is like the other because it's not."

The comments come after Talor Gooch said at LIV's most recent event outside of Portland, Oregon, he thought the atmosphere was similar to that of the Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup:

Golf, but louder.@TalorGooch 👊#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/yZni168llR

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 3, 2022

Thomas probably spoke for many when he used such a dismissive tone to address what Gooch had said.

The LIV Golf Invitational Series crowns an individual champion at each tournament and includes a team-based format. Beyond the latter feature, there's not much to connect LIV Golf with the two premier team events in golf.

For one, LIV simply cannot match the history of the Presidents Cup or particularly the Ryder Cup, which dates back nearly 100 years. The first event teed off in 1927 and has produced plenty of memorable moments since then.

LIV isn't exactly a facsimile of its biggest team-based progenitors, either.

For fans, it's easy to find a rooting interest when the battle lines are drawn geographically. Even those who don't follow the sport regularly might feel invested when there's a sense of civic pride on the line.

In time, the dynamic could change, but is anybody tuning into a LIV event and rooting for Fireballs GC or 4 Aces GC? For now, teams are drafted on a week-by-week basis, too, which somewhat undermines the whole concept since there may not be much continuity in who's teaming up with whom.

LIV Golf might be handing out more money than any other tour, but it has a long way to go to match the grandeur of golf's biggest showcases.

Dustin Johnson and Carlos Ortiz are tied for first following the second round in the LIV Golf International Series event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon.

Branden Grace is two shots back in third, with Justin Harding in fourth at five under. Brooks Koepka is one of five golfers tied for fifth at four under.

After the first round, Ortiz was one shot ahead of Johnson. The tables quickly turned as Johnson went five under on the front nine.

A front nine to remember 🔥#LIVGolf | @DJohnsonPGA

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 1, 2022

Ortiz managed to remain within striking distance, and that proved beneficial as Johnson sputtered toward the end of the round.

.@carlosortizGolf on the hunt 🦈#LIVGolf

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 1, 2022

Ortiz grabbed a share of the lead with a birdie on No. 18 before making his way to the clubhouse. Johnson had an opportunity to reclaim sole possession of first place but watched his birdie putt roll left.

Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau are making their maiden voyage with LIV Golf at Pumpkin Ridge.

Starting from the second hole, Koepka double-bogeyed No. 3 to get his round started on the wrong foot. He quickly righted the ship with birdies on Nos. 5 and 8. The four-time major champion then caught fire down the stretch. Birdies on the 14th and 15th holes were followed by an eagle on No. 17, which put him only one shot off Johnson.

The eagle has landed 🦅#LIVGolf | @BKoepka

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 2, 2022

Just when Koepka was rolling, he found the water with an approach on No. 18. A bogey knocked him back into third, and his bad luck continued as a double-bogey might have removed him from the title hunt.

DeChambeau, who didn't do enough to recover from an even-par 72 on Thursday, isn't having a memorable LIV debut. He's three under for the tournament, and closing the five-shot gap on Johnson and Ortiz will be difficult.

Charl Schwartzel won LIV Golf's inaugural tournament outside of London in June, so joining the breakaway tour has already been a success. His odds of going back to back were dealt a big blow when he went two over Thursday. A one-over 73 added to his lackluster showing.

Phil Mickelson looked rusty in his return to competitive golf at Centurion Club when he finished 34th in the 48-man field. Then he missed the cut in the U.S. Open.

Mickelson's fortunes haven't improved much at Pumpkin Ridge. He's tied for 34th at five over.

Pat Perez earned himself a new fan on the 11th hole. His approach sailed to the right and struck a member of the gallery. After sinking his par putt, Perez made it up to the fan.

Pat Perez 🤝 The Fans

Watch LIVE ➡️ https://t.co/HSxdTXYRvu#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/FF1PVJ7co2

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 1, 2022

Thanks to the efforts of Johnson and Perez, 4 Aces GC has a solid lead in the team standings. At 15 under, they're four shots up on Stinger GC.

The third round will get underway with a shotgun start at 1:15 p.m. PT.

Dustin Johnson was poised to be in the driver's seat before falling back into a tie for the lead with Carlos Ortiz at the LIV Golf Invitational Series event at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon.

Johnson and Ortiz are sitting at eight under, two shots ahead of Branden Grace in third place.

Johnson wasn't much of a factor in LIV's inaugural event outside of London in June. He opened with a one-under 69 and finished in eighth place. Friday was a return to form in the first half.

On days like this, @DJohnsonPGA is absolutely unbeatable. He is putting together a stunning round in Portland. #LIvGolf

— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyofGolf) July 1, 2022

Through nine holes, the 38-year-old was already at five under for the round.

Moving on up 📈#LIVGolf | @DJohnsonPGA

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 1, 2022

A front nine to remember 🔥#LIVGolf | @DJohnsonPGA

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) July 1, 2022

With a birdie on No. 12, it looked like Johnson would effectively have one hand on the title before Saturday's round even got started.

Then things began to unravel. He bogeyed three of the next four holes as the gap on Ortiz shrunk to one shot. An impressive par save on No. 17 spared him a worse fate, and it proved especially important when Ortiz birdied No. 18.

The winner at Pumpkin Ridge will earn a cool $4 million. Johnson, who has won more than $74.4 million over his PGA Tour career, might be padding his bank account further Saturday.

Several members of the LIV Golf International Series want the DP World Tour to rescind their suspensions.

Per James Corrigan of The Telegraph, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are among 16 LIV golfers who threatened DP World Tour officials with legal action in an open letter unless their suspensions are rescinded by Friday.

According to Corrigan, the letter calls for "negotiations to align the rebel series with the two existing traditional tours, or face the risk of future legal action."

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced on June 9 that all members who choose to play for LIV Golf will be suspended.

Formerly known as the European Tour, the DP World Tour followed suit last week, announcing that all players who took part in LIV's inaugural event in London would be suspended for three tournaments, including the Scottish Open, Barbasol Championship and Barracuda Championship.

On Tuesday, Rick Broadbent of the London Times reported DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley was going to add further sanctions, including a "rising scale of fines and up to eight-week suspensions."

The fines were around $120,000 per player. Corrigan reported last week that LIV Golf was going to reimburse players that amount.

In a statement issued Friday (via ESPN), Pelley noted the letter from LIV golfers contained "so many inaccuracies that it cannot remain unchallenged."

The statement went on to say that players knew before joining the LIV Golf International Series "there would be consequences if they chose money over competition" and they "understood and accepted that."

Pelley's statement pointed out factual errors made by individual players in the letter about how many DP World Tour events they claim to have taken part in as evidence to dispute their assertion that they "care deeply" for the European circuit.

The letter from the players asks DP World Tour officials to reconsider the penalties and sanctions, "and instead focus our energies on forging a path forward that is better for the DP World Tour members and the game of golf."

In a joint press conference Tuesday, Monahan and Pelley announced a 13-year strategic alliance in an effort to combat the LIV Golf International Series. The two sides will work together to "continue to coordinate a worldwide schedule."

The DP World Tour has also guaranteed annual growth in prize funds for its membership over the next five years. The PGA Tour previously announced a $54 million purse increase for eight tournaments that will go into effect for the 2023 season.