17 Guys Have Signed On For Saudi League - PGA Tour Pro

PGA Tour player Kramer Hickok says he thinks 17 golfers have already "jumped over" to a rumoured Saudi-backed Super League amid ongoing speculation of a new breakaway circuit. The circuit in question has been dominating the news recently with reports of a $1.5bn budget and huge offers to the likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Ian Poulter.

UPDATE: $250m Super League officially launched

Hickok, speaking on the Stripe Show podcast, was brutally honest with his words on the rumoured tour, revealing that it could have between 12-14 tournaments that feature just 40 players and no cut. Hickok, who says he has heard things from fellow pros, said that "a lot of big names" will go to a new tour that could begin as early as June. The American also said that "some of these guys are probably getting a little bit greedy" and "we’re starting to realise how money-hungry a lot of players on the PGA Tour."

"You’re going to see a lot of big names jump over there, I think there’s already been 17 guys that have jumped over and I can’t say who they are but there’s going to be some big names going over there," the Texan said on the Stripe Show podcast. "Look, I mean from what I’ve heard the money’s very, very appealing. You’re only gonna have 12-14 events, those events are gonna have purses, you’re not going to have to deal with missing a cut anymore, there’s only going to be 40 players. And 10 of those 14 events will be in the States. Signing bonuses, huge, huge purses, it’s going to be very appealing for some of these guys. Yeah you’ll see some big names for sure.

"I’m extremely happy with the PGA Tour. I have a lot of perspective I would say, in college all I wanted to do was play on the PGA Tour, I wanted to win tournaments, I wanted to win The Masters and put on the green jacket. I am extremely blessed but I think some of these guys are probably getting a little bit greedy. I think you have to be thankful and appreciative for the Tour, they’ve given us this platform to be able to chase our dreams and do what we love and make a great living doing it. To go after a few extra bucks, I mean I think it might be a little greedy because you don’t know how long that Tour is going to be around, you don’t know if that money’s going to dry up, you don’t know what’s going to happen and if you do leave you’ll be banned from the Tour, the Tour’s come out and said that.

"The word is that the Tour is going to start in June so you’re going to start seeing this stuff, you know you’re going to start seeing these name changes in the spring time. Very soon. A lot of these guys have signed NDAs but a lot of these guys you’re seeing these guys signing at tournaments and getting a huge amount of money wired to their bank account the next day.

"I think we’re starting to realise how money-hungry a lot of players on the PGA Tour are because a lot of it is just money. I think there’s pros and cons. The pros are money, the pros are less events. The cons are you don’t really know who you’re getting in bed with here."

There has been no official confirmation of a Saudi-backed super league and 2020 US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau has denied reports of the huge deal he was said to have received. DeChambeau also denied reports that he told players he was quitting the PGA Tour.