“Show me the money” – controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour tees off dividing the professional golf world

Former world number one Dustin Johnson, six-time Major champion Phil Mickelson and rising talent from Zimbabwe Scott Vincent were the showcase group, teeing off on the first hole at the Centurion Golf Club just outside of London. Within minutes, 45 other golfers also struck their opening tee shots on 15 other holes in a shotgun start officially launching LIV Golf.

The first birdie of the highly controversial LIV Golf series was made by former world number one and 2016 Olympian Martin Kaymer. The German golfer was one of three Olympians in the field, alongside Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Austrian Bernt Wiesberger.

Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, is the first round leader of the London Invitational, sinking a ten-foot birdie putt on his final hole to card a five-under 65. He leads fellow South African Hennie Du Plessis, ranked 128th in the world, by one stroke, in the fast-paced, three-round tournament.

A scruffy-looking Mickelson, appearing publicly this week in London for the first time following a four-month self-exile, in the wake of shocking comments in which he called the Saudis scary mother******* and said they execute people for being gay, appeared relatively composed. Mickelson, who apologised for the comments, made a string of birdies on the back nine, for a one-under 69, four shots off the first round lead.

Shortly after the 48 golfers teed off, the PGA TOUR dropped the hammer, immediately suspending 17 players indefinitely from the U.S. tour and senior Champions tour taking a hard-line stance. Ten of those golfers had already resigned their membership.

“These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons. But they can’t demand the same PGA TOUR membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platforms as you,” read part of the statement from PGA TOUR commissioner Jay Monahan, addressing current players who have remained loyal to the longstanding U.S. tour.

“I am certain that our fans and partners – who are surely tired of all this talk of money, money, and more money – will continue to be entertained and compelled by the world-class competition you display each and every week,” it read.

The LIV Tour quickly responded with a statement of its own calling the PGA Tour’s letter “vindictive.”

“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 players from playing,” the statement reads.

“This is certainly not the last word on the 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.”

Enormous prize money financed by the Saudi fund consists of a purse of 20 million USD, including four million for the winner of the London Invitational. Winning four-man team members will share an additional three million USD. The overall champion of the eight-tournament series, with five events to be played in the U.S., will receive a paycheck of 16 million USD.

“You look at those numbers and they’re absolutely staggering, the top players in golf, as handsomely as they are compensated, they are so far behind their contemporaries of other sports,” said LIV Golf analyst Jerry Folzer, citing baseball, football, basketball and Formula One. “It’s a new day in professional golf, starting today.”

LIV Tour chief executive officer Greg Norman joined Foltz and colleague Arlo White, of English football fame, in the booth pushing the narrative of the thrilling nature and innovation of the immensely lucrative, eight-series tour.

“I feel so happy that we’ve brought free agency to the game of golf,” Norman said.

Hyping the prize offerings of the tournament, White insisted that a victory on Saturday could be a “life-changing experience” for younger or journeymen players.

Asian Tour voice Dom Boulet and former pro golfer from Singapore Su-Ann Heng joined the commentary team, with the attractive Heng reporting alongside the leading group of Johnson, Mickelson and Vincent.

A flashy, highly-produced video voiced by actor Randy Quaid about the new venture insisted: “the evolution of golf begins today.” The LIV Golf series slogan, amping the fast-paced shotgun format, is “Don’t Blink.”

The intricate digital production comprised 48 cameras and numerous on course microphones, including at the bottom of every hole. Somewhere in the range of five to ten thousand spectators attended the first round, despite overcast skies and occasional light rain.

And how might LIV Golf affect future Olympic participation among players? While numerous questions remain unanswered regarding LIV Golf participants being permitted to play in the Ryder Cup and major tournaments not overseen by the PGA Tour, it would appear the LIV Golf players are relinquishing their opportunities to qualify and represent their countries for Paris 2024. Results from the new controversial tour are certainly not factored into the Official World Golf Ranking, which determine Olympic qualification, and that appears highly unlikely to change in the future.

The LIV Golf format also features a four-player team format, which organizers believe will create added interest. The all-South African Stinger GC squad captained by former Major winner Louis Oosthuizen, and with Schwartzel as a teammate, are six shots ahead of their nearest challengers after round one.

The trio of LIV Golf announcers positively summed up the day, avoiding any details of events that have triggered a volatile and unpredictable feud, dividing the golf world. Potential legal battles between the upstart golf venture and longstanding PGA Tour appear destined.

“This has been a historic day, not just for golf, but for sports in general,” White said.

Folzer added: “We’ve referenced the controversy, the noise, and the obstacles that had to be overcome to get to this point. Once the dust settles, I think people will realize that there is a place for this in the eco-system and landscape of professional golf.”

Certainly, the foursome of announcers have also been paid handsomely by LIV Golf. Notwithstanding, many golf fans may disagree with their hyperbole, and surely in terms of the integrity of the new league and its players.

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