“These players have made their choice”: PGA Tour bans 17 golfers for attending LIV Golf Series, including Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson
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LIV Golf Series
The ongoing Saudi backed LIV Golf Series has caused quite the controversy among the golfing world. As several golfers are making the shift to the LIV series, it has already begun at the Centurion Club just outside London. Among the golfers joining the series include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na, Ian Poulter, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed, just to name a few.
The PGA has expressed its anger and disappointment in the golfers that have made the switch, saying that they would be facing disciplinary action for defecting. This threat has indeed come true, as the PGA Tour has gone ahead and banned 17 golfers indefinitely. These include Major Championship winners Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.
Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, others suspended indefinitely after attending LIV Golf Series
The players “did not receive the necessary conflicting event and media rights release — or did not apply for releases at all,” according to cnbc.com. The PGA Tour has already sent out a memo saying that they will ban any future players who attend the LIV Series as well. “These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons,” the memo said. “But they can’t demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you.”
As for the players coming back, the PGA has said, “Trust that we’re prepared to deal with those questions and we’ll approach them in the same way we have this entire process: by being transparent and respecting the PGA TOUR regulations that you helped establish.” The LIV Golf Series has called the decision ‘vindictive’, saying that it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members.
Here is a list of all members who have been suspended from the PGA Tour. Those with the * in front of them had already given their resignation to the tour.
- Sergio Garcia*
- Talor Gooch
- Branden Grace*
- Dustin Johnson*
- Matt Jones
- Martin Kaymer*
- Graeme McDowell*
- Phil Mickelson
- Kevin Na*
- Andy Ogletree
- Louis Oosthuizen*
- Turk Pettit*
- Ian Poulter
- Charl Schwartzel*
- Hudson Swafford
- Peter Uihlein
- Lee Westwood*
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Saivee Phatak
(1164 Articles Published)