LIV Golf Invitational Series: Phil Mickelson joins Saudi tournament after long hesitation

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Golf star Mickelson

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Gregory Bull/AP

The controversial new LIV Golf Invitational Series is getting a prominent crowd puller just before its start.

Six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson has announced after much hesitation that he will be part of the series.

"I'm thrilled to be joining LIV Golf," the six-time major winner said on Twitter on Monday.

“I'm ready to come back to play the game I love.

But after 32 years, this new path is a new beginning.«

Speculations that Mickelson could take part in the tour financed by Saudi Arabia have long persisted.

In February, the 51-year-old publicly fell out with the North American PGA Tour, which he criticized for not changing enough and which he also accused of “disgusting greed”.

Mickelson was severely criticized for these statements, disappeared and took time off.

Now Mickelson is back – and his accusations of greed seem like sheer mockery to some.

According to media reports, the budget for the new tour totals around two billion dollars.

The opening tournament in London alone starting on Thursday is endowed with 20 million US dollars - the winner gets four million US dollars.

In addition, there are obscenely high entry fees in the room.

According to media reports, Dustin Johnson, two-time major winner and, alongside Mickelson, the most prominent player in the new series, is guaranteed $100 million.

Tiger Woods cancels

Former superstar Greg Norman serves as CEO of LIV Golf.

The Australian was number one in the world for 331 weeks.

The 67-year-old now works as a businessman.

In addition to Mickelson and Johnson, Norman also wanted to sign Tiger Woods.

However, according to Norman, the American turned down a deal that was “staggeringly enormous;

we're talking high nine-digit numbers here," as reported by the Washington Post. 

The new golf series is criticized mainly because of its sponsor.

The funds are provided by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) from Saudi Arabia, the government's monetary arm.

Saudi Arabia is repeatedly criticized for serious human rights violations.

The Saudi Arabian regime is obviously trying to use sport to improve its reputation in the western world.

It was not until 2021 that a Saudi Arabian consortium bought the English football club Newcastle United.

Martin Kaymer is also there

The LIV Golf Invitational Series starts on Thursday in London with the first of a total of eight tournaments.

The sporting value of the series is questionable.

Apart from Mickelson and Johnson, there are mainly players from the second and third tier of professional golf.

Among them was top golfer Martin Kaymer, who defended his start.

The PGA, meanwhile, has threatened to sanction participants in the LIV series.

It is not yet clear what these penalties will be.

kjo/dpa