Golf’s PGA Bleeding Players to the LIV Saudi’s Tour

Is it the beginning of the end of the PGA with the Saudi’s gobbling up many of the players for this week’s LIV tournament outside of London? For those who follow golf, and I do, It has been a soap opera with Michelson pushing the exit button from the PGA. Now Dustin Johnson joins the Saudi’s as well.

With COVID limitations, I picked up the weekend trail of golf as a enjoyable diversion if only for background noise at times. It was amazing to see all the young players now coming to the PGA after just a couple of years fresh out of college. With all of the new great college programs, it seems it no longer takes years in the “minor leagues” such as the Korn Ferry to become competitive.

As far as the Saudi’s? Well, it’s the Saudi’s and money talks. They are not concerned with paid advertisements apparently. We can follow the tournament this weekend on YouTube.

It seems the players can set aside other concerns about the Saudi’s.

As far as the PGA? Sanctions are up for discussion and legal action is in the wind.

By the way, LIV stands for the Roman numeral 54.

Phil Mickelson COMMITS to playing in LIV Golf Tour [Instant Reaction] | CBS Sports HQ

Here we go for the story:

Phil Mickelson had around 200 million reasons to sign up for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour.

The Post’s Mark Cannizzaro first reported that Mickelson signed with LIV. Golf Channel’s Brentley Romine cites a source as saying Mickelson reached a deal on Saturday worth in the neighborhood of $200 million.

It has been previously reported that Dustin Johnson was paid “around” $125 million to compete in the upstart golf series that is seeking to disrupt the PGA Tour by paying golfers more money — and more guaranteed.

The news that Mickelson is joining LIV follows several months of controversy.

The 51-year-old golfer ripped the PGA Tour’s “obnoxious greed” for the amount of money the sport governing body siphons off, and does not distribute to golfers.

Mickelson reportedly lost $40 million gambling in a four-year stretch between 2010 and 2014.

The first LIV golf tournament is coming up this week outside London. Competitors aside from Mickelson and Johnson include Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Kevin Na, Lee Westwood, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Charl Schwartzel, Graeme McDowell and Talor Gooch.

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Our man Johnson?

All things change I guess. The PGA supports up and coming golfers. Are the Saudi’s interested in doing the same?  How this will all play out remains to be seen.

The bottom line: Does golf have enough good golfers to maintain interest with having several competing tours?

The PGA is set to play the Canadian Open in Saint George starting Thursday. The lineup of players looks pretty much like a dud and if it is anything like last weekend with more duffers than skilled players, I just might find my way to YouTube.