Bryson DeChambeau and fellow major winner Patrick Reed are the latest big names jumping from the PGA Tour to the rival LIV Golf International Series, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
Both are expected to compete in the upstart circuit’s first event in the United States, scheduled for June 30-July 2 at Pumpkin Ridge in Portland, Ore. DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff of GSE Worldwide, confirmed the reports to ESPN.
“Bryson has always been an innovator,” Falkoff said. “Having the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something unique has always been intriguing to him. Professional golf as we know it is changing and it’s happening quickly.”
This was Bryson DeChambeau when asked about the Saudi Tour just 5 days ago:
"For me, I personally don't think that at this point in time I'm in a place in my career where I can risk things like that." https://t.co/qkKgGjtEDS pic.twitter.com/6pSeWqOCkQ— Stephen Hicks (@StephenABC30) June 7, 2022
Gaining Quick Traction
DeChambeau, 28, and Reed, 31, would give the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour at least nine former major winners on its growing roster, along with Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen and Graeme McDowell.
Here we go…excited to be participating in the inaugural @LIVGolfInv London event at @CenturionClub , looking forward to the new format, team play, and chance to compete. pic.twitter.com/uHlz4EBgZd
— Graeme McDowell (@Graeme_McDowell) June 8, 2022
DeChambeau has eight wins on the PGA Tour, including the 2020 U.S. Open. He has been sidelined since having surgery on his left hand in April.
Reed has nine PGA Tour victories, highlighted by his triumph at The Masters in 2018.
LIV Golf’s inaugural event begins Thursday at the Centurion Club near London.
If successful the Saudi backed LIV golf will prove to be a plague on the game. The 48 players who tee off this Friday have exchanged a little bit of their soul for money and they tilt the game in a very bad direction and everyone of them knows they are helping to to sell a lie.
— Brandel Chamblee (@chambleebrandel) June 7, 2022
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has warned players who compete in LIV Golf events without releases from the PGA Tour that they could be subject to fines, suspensions or even bans.
–Field Level Media ()