LIV Golf Bedminster Field - Stenson To Make Debut

LIV Golf has announced the 48-man field for the third edition of the Series at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, New Jersey, to be played 29-31 July 2022.

There are an array of debutants in the field, including former Ryder Cup Captain Henrik Stenson. The Swede was controversially stripped of the position following his decision to join the Greg Norman-fronted venture in a decision that he described as "hugely disappointing" and "commercially driven". Although unconfirmed, several reports indicate his signing-on fee to be in the region of $40m. 

Almost immediately following, insurance and financial services company Mutual of Omaha confirmed that they agreed to part company with the 46-year-old. According to ESPN, a spokesperson for the company said they have "mutually agreed to end their sponsorship deal, effective immediately." As a result, Stenson's cap will no longer feature the company's logo – an arrangement that has been in place since they linked up almost seven years ago.

Paul Casey, who has represented Europe in the Ryder Cup on five separate occasions, is also set to make his debut. With 18 wins across the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, the Englishman joins a Bedminster field that will showcase 10 Major champions with a combined 20 Major victories and four former World No.1 players.

Charles Howell III, who is ranked 19th in the PGA Tour Career Money List having won just over $40m, will tee it up for the first time in the Series alongside three-time PGA Tour winner Jason Kokrak. 

Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau, fresh from top-10 finishes at the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews, are joined by Sadom Kaewkanjana and Abraham Ancer who finished a couple of shots further adrift. 

“It’s been a historic two months for LIV Golf as we’ve established a new era for the sport that delivers unique energy, camaraderie, and competition," Greg Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf said. "We are excited to take another giant leap forward at the beautiful Trump National Golf Club Bedminster where our players are eager to tee off in pursuit of the third individual and team titles of the season."

South African Branden Grace of Stinger GC secured the individual trophy at the LIV Golf Invitational Portland, while 4 Aces captain Dustin Johnson and his new all-American line-up of Talor Gooch, Pat Perez and Patrick Reed took the team trophy in the first LIV Golf event held in the United States.

South Africans have now won the first two LIV Golf events, as former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel earned first prize in the individual competition at the inaugural event at Centurion Club, London. Stinger GC, Schwartzel’s team captained by Louis Oosthuizen, took the team honours with fellow South Africans and teammates Hennie du Plessis and Grace finishing second and third, respectively.

Grace and Schwartzel are now 1-2 in LIV Golf’s season-long individual points standings.

LIV Golf Invitational Series New Jersey Field

• Abraham Ancer
• Richard Bland
• Laurie Canter
• Paul Casey
• Eugenio Chacarra
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Hennie du Plessis
• Sergio Garcia
• Talor Gooch
• Branden Grace
• Justin Harding
• Sam Horsfield
• Charles Howell III
• Yuki Inamori
• Dustin Johnson
• Matt Jones
• Sadom Kaewkanjana
• Martin Kaymer
• Phachara Khongwatmai
• Ryosuke Kinoshita
• Brooks Koepka
• Chase Koepka
• Jason Kokrak
• Jinichiro Kozuma
• Graeme McDowell
• Phil Mickelson
• Jediah Morgan
• Kevin Na
• Shaun Norris
• Louis Oosthuizen
• Wade Ormsby
• Carlos Ortiz
• Pat Perez
• Turk Pettit
• James Piot 
• Ian Poulter
• David Puig (am)
• Patrick Reed
• Charl Schwartzel
• Travis Smyth
• Henrik Stenson
• Hudson Swafford
• Hideto Tanihara
• Peter Uihlein
• Scott Vincent
• Lee Westwood
• Bernd Wiesberger
• Matthew Wolff

The Saudi-backed venture continues to receive widespread criticism, with players accused of sportswashing human rights atrocities within the Kingdom. Former President Donald Trump, owner of the Bedminster property where the third edition will be played, recently encouraged players to "take the money" and branded the PGA Tour "disloyal" on his Truth Social network.

The advocacy group 9/11 Justice responded to Trump's remarks with an open letter and described its "deep pain and anger" at his decision to host events at his properties as well as his continued endorsement of the Series given Saudi Arabia's links with the September 11 attacks - 15 of the 19 hijackers involved in the tragedy were Saudi nationals.

"We simply cannot understand how you could agree to accept money from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's golf league to host their tournament at your golf course, and to do so in the shadows of Ground Zero in New Jersey, which lost over 700 residents during the attacks," the group said in its open letter.

"It is difficult for us to fully express the extreme pain, frustration and anger this upcoming tournament at Bedminster causes our community... it is incomprehensible to us that a former President of the United States would cast our loved ones aside for personal financial gain."

Families and loved ones of those lost in the 2001 attack held a protest at the LIV Golf Series Portland event and will reportedly do the same in New Jersey.