The PGA Tour has issued a statement after the LIV Golf Invitational London field was announced, remaining firm in its stance that players will be "subject to disciplinary action" after it declined release requests from a number of its members to play in the event.
“As communicated to our membership on May 10, PGA Tour members have not been authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League’s London event, under PGA TOUR Regulations," the Tour said. "Members who violate the Tournament Regulations are subject to disciplinary action.”
The PGA Tour will likely find itself in legal proceedings if it goes ahead with banning players from competing as LIV CEO Greg Norman has constantly maintained that is unlawful.
The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series tournament begins next week at the Centurion Club near London, where Dustin Johnson will headline the 48-man field. DJ has reportedly been offered $125m to play in the Series. He'll be joined by big names including Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and a number of other PGA and DP World Tour players.
One name not yet in the field is Phil Mickelson, although there is still room for the six-time Major winner. As it stands there are 42 golfers named, with five set to qualify via the Asian Tour's International Series event in England this week - leaving one spot open for Mickelson, or another.
Mickelson still hasn't played since the Saudi International in February following his controversial comments on Saudi Arabia, the PGA Tour's "abnoxious greed" and how he was using the LIV Golf Invitational Series as leverage against the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour and the Majors have been drastically increasing prize pools but the finances in the LIV Series still dwarfs that of its competitors. Next week's RBC Canadian Open purse is a healthy $8.7m, but that is still some $16m+ short of the $25m on offer in London. The DP World Tour's Scandinavian Mixed prize money of $2m is blown out of the water by that of the Saudi-backed Series.
It remains to be seen what the PGA and DP World Tours do next.
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