The LIV Golf Tour is taking a pause in the action for the rest of August as the PGA Tour has its FedEx Cup Playoffs. The evolution of the LIV Golf Tour has without a doubt been the biggest story in golf for the 2022 season. Here are eight interesting stories in the inaugural year of this Saudi-based tour.
1) Greg Norman is the man in charge.
Greg Norman of Mount Isa, Australia, the two-time British Open champion, (1986 and 1993) was named the Chief Executive Officer of LIV Golf Investments on October 29, 2021. Known as “The Great White Shark,” Norman brought a significant amount of big-name presence as the tour was set to launch.
2) Jack Nicklaus turned down offer to be CEO.
It has since been reported that Greg Norman was not the first option to be the chief executive officer. In May it was reported that Jack Nicklaus was initially the man asked to be the man in charge, but he turned down not one, but two offers to be the CEO. Nicklaus, who has the all-time record for most majors all-time with 18, reportedly expressed his loyalty to the PGA Tour, who he helped start.
3) Who are the primary players?
There are some big names on the LIV Tour. They include major champions Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Charl Schwartzel, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson and Patrick Reed. Now, there are rumours that 2022 British Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia will be the latest golfer to move to the LIV.
4) Massive contracts given to LIV Tour golfers.
Five golfers who have moved from the PGA Tour to the LIV Tour have signed massive deals that will set their families for life. Mickelson signed for $200 million, Johnson for $150 million, DeChambeau for $125 million, and Koepka and Smith for $100 million each.
5) All players get paid each week.
On the PGA Tour, only golfers who make the cut each week earn a pay cheque. On the LIV Tour, all players earn revenue–regardless if they finish first or last. There is no cut, and events are only 54 holes over three days, rather than four days and 72 holes on the PGA Tour.
6) LIV golfers are suing the PGA Tour.
When the PGA Tour players switched allegiances and joined the LIV Tour, 11 golfers sued the PGA Tour for no longer being allowed to participate on the PGA Tour. The 11 are Mickelson, DeChambeau, Talor Gooch, Matt Jones, Hudson Swafford, Abraham Ancer, Jason Kokrak, Carlos Ortiz, Pat Perez, Ian Poulter and Peter Uihlein. Jones, Swafford and Gooch also tried to participate in the PGA Tour FedEx Cup Playoffs, but were unsuccessful.
7) Who have won the LIV Tour so far?
There have been three events on the LIV Golf Invitational Series so far, with South Africans winning the first two events. Schwartzel won in England, and Branden Grace won in Portland. The last winner was Stenson of Sweden, who won at Bedminster.
8) Where are the other events in 2022?
There are five more LIV Tour events in 2022. They are in Boston, Chicago, Miami, Bangkok and Saudi Arabia.
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