The Saudi-backed LIV Golf tees off, and the PGA Tour rapidly points sanctions : NPR

Dustin Johnson of america, left, and Martin Kaymer of Germany on the follow inexperienced earlier than the primary spherical of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational on the Centurion Membership in St. Albans, England, on Thursday.

Alastair Grant/AP

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Alastair Grant/AP

Dustin Johnson of america, left, and Martin Kaymer of Germany on the follow inexperienced earlier than the primary spherical of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational on the Centurion Membership in St. Albans, England, on Thursday.

Alastair Grant/AP

Even earlier than it began, the Saudi-backed LIV Golf collection reshaped the careers of a number of high-profile gamers, costing golfers corresponding to Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson their relationships with the PGA Tour and a few of their sponsors.

A reprisal had been anticipated from the PGA Tour — and instantly after the inaugural LIV event teed off on Thursday, the PGA issued sanctions in opposition to 17 gamers who defected to the brand new collection.

The gamers “are suspended or in any other case now not eligible to take part in PGA TOUR event play, together with the Presidents Cup,” PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan stated in a letter to tour members.

The golfers embrace Mickelson and Johnson, together with different extremely ranked gamers corresponding to Louis Oosthuizen (21), Kevin Na (34), Talor Gooch (35) and Sergio Garcia (57).

Of the 17 golfers, 9 had preemptively resigned their PGA Tour membership.

LIV Golf is backed by Saudi Arabia’s wealth, permitting it to lure high gamers with the promise of windfalls of money — from eye-popping incentives to hundreds of thousands in prize cash and assured payouts.

Saudi ties rapidly raised crimson flags

However LIV’s ties to Saudi Arabia’s repressive monarchy immediately prompted a powerful backlash, due to the dominion’s flagrant human rights abuses. Critics — and even Mickelson himself — have additionally famous that U.S. intelligence has concluded that Saudi Arabia’s crown prince authorized the operation resulting in the brutal 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

“It was reckless, I offended folks, and I’m deeply sorry for my alternative of phrases,” Mickelson stated in February, after he was quoted discussing why he was embracing the brand new golf collection regardless of the Saudi regime’s well-known human rights violations.

However on Monday, Mickelson confirmed he would play on this week’s LIV occasion, risking the wrath of the PGA. With the specter of sanctions looming, Johnson and different gamers resigned from the PGA Tour.

Critics name LIV Golf “sportswashing” — a technique international locations corresponding to China and Russia have utilized in makes an attempt to remake their international popularity with out altering their stances on human rights.

LIV Golf’s first event is now streaming on-line

The inaugural event — the LIV Golf Invitational London — is not on TV, however curious sports activities followers can watch the motion on-line, by means of YouTube, Fb and the LIV Golf website.

Gamers teed off on Thursday shortly after 2 p.m. native time — 9 a.m. ET.

This model of golf has been tailor-made for TV. As an alternative of the stately procession of three golfers heading to the tee field at No. 1, the LIV event has a “shotgun” begin, with gamers concurrently teeing off on 16 holes across the course.

How is LIV Golf totally different?

Most dramatically, the shotgun begin is geared to right away ship a flood of golf to followers watching on-line. It is also meant to make sure all gamers face the identical situations on the course.

LIV additionally blends group and particular person competitors. There are 12 groups, which had been decided this week. Introducing a component of fantasy sports activities, 12 gamers had been dubbed captains on Tuesday, adopted by a rapid-fire draft to pick their four-member squads.

Gamers on the profitable group will get an additional $3 million. The rosters will change for each event.

The event’s particular person competitors largely runs like some other golf event, however on this case, it is concurrent with group play.

In one other change, LIV makes use of three rounds, as a substitute of the 4 the PGA Tour makes use of in its stroke play tournaments. And since there is no reduce after the primary two rounds, gamers are assured a share of the prize cash.

The LIV collection has seven “common season” occasions, adopted by a group event ultimate to be held in late October. The subsequent event is slated to be performed in Portland, Ore., beginning on June 30.

Who’s enjoying within the LIV event?

A area of 48 golfers is enjoying within the London occasion. Together with Mickelson and Johnson, the sphere contains different former main champions corresponding to Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

Additionally enjoying: Kevin Na, who resigned from the PGA Tour on Sunday, and a number of other former U.S. Beginner winners, together with James Piot, the reigning champion who not too long ago moved from school play to teeing off on the Masters.

Extra U.S. golfers (11) are within the event than execs from some other nation, in response to a roster printed by LIV.

Listed here are the golf execs the PGA Tour suspended on Thursday:

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.