PGA Tour commissioner announces higher prize money at some events in response to LIV Golf series

Throughout the commissioner’s information convention, the LIV Golf collection introduced former world No. 1 Brooks Koepka could be becoming a member of the enterprise.

LIV Golf is organized by LIV Golf Investments and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund (PIF) — a sovereign wealth fund chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the person who a US intelligence report named as answerable for approving the operation that led to the 2018 homicide of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Bin Salman has denied involvement in Khashoggi’s killing.

Earlier this month, Monahan introduced that every one golfers taking part in within the breakaway collection will now not be eligible to take part in PGA Tour tournaments.

Monahan mentioned the Tour welcomes “good, wholesome” competitors however mentioned the brand new tour is an “irrational menace” and isn’t involved with the “true development” of the sport.

Till now, the varied golf excursions and organizations have labored collectively, he mentioned.

“However when somebody makes an attempt to purchase the game, dismantle the establishments which are intrinsically invested in its development and centered solely on a private precedence, that partnership evaporates and as an alternative we find yourself with one individual, one entity utilizing limitless quantities of cash to direct staff, not members or companions, towards their private purpose,” Monahan mentioned. “Which can or might not change tomorrow or the following day. I doubt that is the imaginative and prescient any one in every of us have the for the sport.”

In a memo to gamers obtained by CNN Monahan wrote that the Sentry Match of Champions, The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Gamers Championship, WGC – Dell Applied sciences, Memorial Match, FedEx St. Jude Championship and BMW Championship would have hundreds of thousands added to their prize cash, together with a number of that may see 67% extra within the purses.

Monahan additionally mentioned the PGA Tour will create a collection of as much as three worldwide occasions that may characteristic a limited-field in a no-cut format. The worldwide occasions will happen after the conclusion of the autumn schedule and can embody the highest 50 gamers from the ultimate FedEx Cup factors record and the most effective performers within the fall.

He revealed the PGA Tour will return to a calendar yr schedule culminating with the FedEx Cup playoffs, which is able to characteristic a smaller subject of 70 gamers as an alternative of the same old 125, adopted by fall occasions that may decide the highest 125 gamers.

The primary full season of the brand new adjustments will start within the 2024 calendar yr.

Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 ranked golfer on this planet, mentioned he does not suppose there may be any amount of cash that may change his thoughts about taking part in on the PGA Tour.

“The cash that we’ve got on the PGA Tour, I by no means dreamed of taking part in for this a lot cash as I do now,” he mentioned. “I imply, I am unable to, I do not know, I do not know the way a lot cash I’ve made this yr, but it surely’s undoubtedly greater than I deserve for whacking a bit white golf ball round.”

Scheffler mentioned he wasn’t going to inform others what they need to do, however previously, doing issues primarily based on the cash concerned hadn’t labored out effectively for him.

Six-time main winner Phil Mickelson and former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson are amongst those that performed within the first LIV Golf occasion, whereas different main winners Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel additionally participated.

There are seven LIV occasions remaining this yr, together with an occasion in Portland that begins June 30 and a event at Trump Nationwide Golf Membership in Bedminster, New Jersey, with the primary spherical on July 29.