LIV and let golf.
In 2022, the LIV Golf Series emerged as a rival to the U.S.-based PGA Tour, with several big names jumping the pond to join the startup golf league. LIV Golf wrangled some high-profile players, and their ranks only have grown in popularity and recognition from there.
Now, with more events on the 2023 schedule, plenty more PGA Tour golfers have jumped to LIV Golf, with the tour trimming some of the lesser known (and less successful) players entering the second season. Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and other heavy hitters joined the blossoming roster of golfers in 2022.
The decisions for these players to jump over to the new tour have left the PGA Tour in a difficult spot, leading to lots of difficult decisions. In June PGA Tour president Jay Monahan announced indefinite suspensions for all current and future players who choose to join LIV Golf. That means Mickelson, Johnson and others won't have the opportunity to play in PGA Tour events.
PGA Tour golfers, including Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, have realized that LIV may be here to stay, leading to players meetings to discuss the elephant in the clubhouse. The PGA Tour later announced many changes to finances and tournament structures to make the Tour more appealing for the players and its fans.
MORE: What is TGL? New tech-based golf league set to debut in 2024
Will the changes be enough? Time will tell.
Here's why so many of the game's best are jumping to the new circuit, and who you can see at a LIV Golf event in 2023:
Why are PGA Tour golfers going to LIV Golf?
In a word: Money. In several more words: Cash, moolah, green, dough, shekels.
LIV Golf is backed and funded by the Saudi Arabian government's Public Investment Fund, hence the controversy surrounding players jumping ship; The nation has often been criticized for its handling of human rights over the years, including its assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Some paint the money as "blood money," and others accuse the Saudi government of "sportswashing" its image via its backing of LIV Golf.
Regardless of where the money is coming from, LIV offers something that the PGA Tour does not, by giving contracts to its players, in stark contrast of the PGA Tour's merit-based reputation.
MORE: PGA Tour makes big changes to combat LIV Golf
Phil Mickelson, the first and most notable player to join the LIV Golf Tour, was reportedly offered $200 million to make the jump. Mickelson has earned $94 million on the course during his PGA Tour career, per Spotrac.
Former world No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson was another LIV Golf defector, and had earned $74,276,710 on the course in his career. LIV Golf signed Johnson to a four-year contract worth a reported $125 million.
LIV also had its sights set on golf's greatest player, Tiger Woods. Woods was reportedly offered between $700 and $800 million to join with the upstart league, an offer which he declined.
In addition to the hefty sums of money going to former PGA players, players also face a less intensive schedule and earn a bigger paycheck for winning some tournaments. For example, the inaugural LIV Golf event in London paid out $4 million to the winner, Charl Schwartzel — a number that surpasses any PGA tournament winner save for the Players Championship ($4.5 million in 2023). Some players have also praised the atmosphere around the tournaments.
LIV Golf players 2023
LIV Golf has succeeded at poaching some of the PGA Tour's most notable players, including Phil Mickelson, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and others. A number of golfers who participated in 2022 tournaments will not be a part of this year's lineup.
Here's the full lineup for their 2023 season:
| Player | Country |
|---|---|
| Abraham Ancer | Spain |
| Richard Bland | England |
| Dean Burmester | South Africa |
| Paul Casey | England |
| Eugenio Chacarra | Spain |
| Bryson DeChambeau | USA |
| Sergio Garcia | Spain |
| Taalor Gooch | USA |
| Branden Grace | South Africa |
| Sam Horsfield | England |
| Charles Howell III | USA |
| Dustin Johnson | USA |
| Matt Jones | Australia |
| Martin Kaymer | Germany |
| Sihwan Kim | USA |
| Brooks Koepka | USA |
| Chase Koekpa | USA |
| Jason Kokrak | USA |
| Anirban Lahiri | India |
| Danny Lee | New Zealand |
| Marc Leishman | Australia |
| Graeme McDowell | Ireland |
| Phil Mickelson | USA |
| Jed Morgan | Australia |
| Sebastian Munoz | Colombia |
| Kevin Na | USA |
| Joaquin Niemann | Chile |
| Louis Oosthuizen | South Africa |
| Carlos Ortiz | Mexico |
| Mito Pereira | Chile |
| Pat Perez | USA |
| Thomas Pieters | Belgium |
| James Piot | USA |
| Ian Poulter | England |
| David Puig | Spain |
| Patrick Reed | USA |
| Charl Schwartzel | South Africa |
| Cameron Smith | Australia |
| Brendan Steele | USA |
| Henrik Stenson | Sweden |
| Cameron Tringale | USA |
| Peter Uihlein | USA |
| Harold Varner III | USA |
| Scott Vincent | Zimbabwe |
| Bubba Watson | USA |
| Lee Westwood | England |
| Bernd Wiesberger | South Africa |
| Matthew Wolff | USA |
LIV Golf teams 2023
While players jumped around to different teams in 2022, the teams for the 2023 LIV Golf slate will remain the same all throughout the season.
Here's how they'll match up against one another:
| Team | Captain | Players |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Aces | Dustin Johnson | Pat Perez Patrick Reed Peter Uihlein |
| Cleeks | Martin Kaymer* Laurie Canter | Richard Bland Graeme McDowell Bernd Wiesberger |
| Crushers | Bryson DeChambeau | Paul Casey Charles Howell III Anirban Lahiri |
| Fireballs | Sergio Garcia | Abraham Ancer Eugenio Chacarra Carlos Ortiz |
| HyFlyers | Phil Mickelson | James Piot Brendan Steele Cameron Tringale |
| Iron Heads | Kevin Na | Sihwan Kim Danny Lee Scott Vincent |
| Majesticks | Ian Poulter | Sam Horsfield Henrik Stenson Lee Westwood |
| RangeGoats | Bubba Watson | Talor Gooch Thomas Pieters Harold Varner III |
| Ripper | Cameron Smith | Matt Jones Marc Leishman Jediah Morgan |
| Smash | Brooks Koepka | Chase Koepka Jason Kokrak Matthew Wolff |
| Stinger | Louis Oosthuizen | Dean Burmester Branden Grace Charl Schwartzel |
| Torque | Joaquin Niemann | Sebastian Munoz Mito Pereira David Puig |
*Kaymer is currently injured, and Canter will fill in temporarily as Cleeks captain.
Why Phil Mickelson joined LIV Golf
Aside from the large sum of money, "Lefty" felt like the jump to the new tour is a "fresh start."
Mickelson explained his decision to leave the PGA Tour in June 2022:
— Phil Mickelson (@PhilMickelson) June 6, 2022
After 32 years, this new path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career and is clearly transformative, not just for myself, but ideally for the game and my peers. I also love the progressive format and think it will be exciting for fans. Just as importantly, it will provide balance, allowing me to focus on a healthier approach to life on and off the course. I am incredibly grateful for what this game and the PGA Tour has given me. I would like to think that I have given back as well but now I am excited about this new opportunity.
Mickelson had voiced his support of the new league in February 2022, believing it was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates." (To Mickelson's credit, he was somewhat correct.)
"They've been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse," Mickelson said of the PGA Tour in February to Alan Shipnuck. "As nice a guy as [PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan] comes across as, unless you have leverage, he won't do what's right. And the Saudi money has finally given us that leverage. I'm not sure I even want [LIV Golf] to succeed, but just the idea of it is allowing us to get things done with the [PGA] Tour."
Mickelson's reported deal with the new tour is worth $200 million.
Why Dustin Johnson joined LIV Golf tour
Dustin Johnson's involvement with LIV Golf was something of a surprise, but the contract and money he received speaks to his decision. Johnson reportedly signed a four-year deal worth $125 million.
He explained his decision to join LIV Golf after having a change of heart:
"At that time, I was committed to playing the PGA Tour," Johnson said of his initial statement. "I'm very thankful for the PGA Tour and everything it's done for me. I've done pretty well out there for the last 15 years. But this is something that was best for me and my family. It's something exciting and something new."
Johnson, former world No. 1 golfer, played on the PGA Tour between 2007 and 2022 and had 24 PGA tournament wins to his name.
MORE: Dustin Johnson explains decision to resign from PGA Tour, join LIV Golf Series
Why Bryson DeChambeau joined LIV Golf
DeChambeau, 28, was one of LIV Golf's first targets for their tour. After he turned down initial offerings to join the circuit, he officially defected in June 2022.
Simply put, DeChambeau's decision was nothing personal, it was strictly business.
🗣️"It was a business decision"
— Sky Sports Golf (@SkySportsGolf) June 14, 2022
🗣️"I would love to play PGA Tour events"
Bryson DeChambeau addresses his decision to join the LIV Golf series ⛳ pic.twitter.com/hCXPiCvdL0
"It was a business decision, first and foremost," he said on June 14. "That's all there was to it. It's given me a lot more opportunity outside of the game of golf and given me more time for my family and my future family. … "There was a lot of financials to it, and also a lot of time."
DeChambeau further explained his decision to join up, saying that the tour gives him certain things that the PGA Tour didn't.
One of the things for me, was a personal business decision. I run and operate my golf as business as well as wanting to be one of the better players in the world. Second off, it was going to give me more resources and opportunities to reinvest in my local community in Dallas, and back at my original home in California, where I can do things for junior golf tours, improve my foundation and also build the multi-sport complex I'm going to be here shortly in Dallas.
And also give me more time to rest — the ability to have weeks off and recover my body the way I want to so that I can be prepared to give it my all when it comes time. Not be depleted every week and continue to get depleted over the course of time.
And the last part is, I saw that event in London and I saw how much fun everyone was having. That was exciting to me, and I wanted to be a part of something like that.
LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman commented on his membership:
Bryson DeChambeau is an exciting addition to LIV Golf's supercharged style of play. He is passionate about the sport, innovative in his approach and committed to pushing the boundaries in pursuit of excellence. He's not afraid to think outside the box and supports our mission of doing things differently to grow our game. The power and energy he brings to the course will deliver added electricity to our competition in Portland and beyond.
Why Brooks Koepka joined LIV Golf
Koepka was another former PGA Tour heavy hitter to join LIV Golf, making the jump following the 2022 U.S. Open.
The four-time major winner dodged LIV Golf questions during media availability in the days leading up to the major, opting to decline questions over potentially joining the tour. Later, during a LIV Golf event, Koepka was asked why he had a change of heart.
"My opinion changed," he said. "I'm allowed to have my opinion change."
Koepka did not specify what led to the change.
"You guys will never believe me, but we never even had the conversation until after the U.S. Open."
Three days after the U.S. Open ended, and a day after Koepka withdrew from the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, LIV officially welcomed Koepka to its ranks.
LIV Golf's reduced schedule likely is part of the appeal for Koepka, who made his own schedule on the PGA Tour.
Why Cameron Smith joined LIV Golf
Smith was fresh off a win at The Open championship, making the jump to LIV Golf in August 2022. He was upfront with his desire to chase a paycheck, as well as have some more free time for himself.
"[Money] was definitely a factor in making that decision, I won’t ignore that or say that wasn’t a reason," Smith told Golf Digest. "It was obviously a business decision for one and an offer I couldn’t ignore. I’ll be able to spend more time at home in Australia and maybe have an event down there, as well. I haven’t been able to do that, and to get that part of my life back was really appealing.
"I’ve lived over here seven years now, and I love living in the U.S., but just little things like missing friends’ weddings, birthday parties and seeing your mates having a great time at rugby league games has been tough."
Smith's deal with LIV is a reported $100 million.
