Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 U.S. Open champion, and Patrick Reed, who received the 2018 Masters, are planning to hitch the brand new Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit that hopes to problem the established PGA Tour, based on a number of experiences.
Each golfers, in contrast to nearly all of the highest gamers entered on this weekend’s inaugural LIV Golf occasion outdoors London, are nonetheless within the prime of their careers. DeChambeau, 28, has turn out to be certainly one of golf’s hottest gamers due to his prodigious drives. Reed, 31, is an aggressive, feisty determine within the sport recognized for high quality performances within the greatest occasions. Reed has received 12 tournaments in the USA and Europe and completed within the prime 10 at every of the 4 main golf championships.
Whereas DeChambeau and Reed should not within the area for the inaugural LIV Golf occasion, which begins Thursday, they be a part of a rising record of PGA Tour gamers who’ve aligned with the upstart league and can play this week. That group contains Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Kevin Na, Martin Kaymer and Talor Gooch. Solely two in that group are ranked within the prime 30 worldwide: Johnson is fifteenth, and Oosthuizen is twenty first.
DeChambeau and Reed are anticipated to make their LIV Golf debut on June 30 in an occasion outdoors Portland, Ore. Up to now in 2022, each gamers have struggled. DeChambeau has missed the lower in 4 of his final 5 tournaments whereas Reed has missed the lower or completed outdoors the highest 25 in 12 of the 14 occasions he has entered. Each gamers are anticipated to compete in subsequent week’s U.S. Open within the suburbs of Boston. America Golf Affiliation, which conducts the U.S. Open, mentioned on Tuesday that gamers related to the LIV Golf circuit who had already certified for the U.S. Open, which incorporates DeChambeau and Reed, could be permitted to play.
The Telegraph first reported that DeChambeau and Reed would decide to play on this 12 months’s LIV Golf Invitational sequence. The subsequent occasion for the circuit is outdoors Portland, starting June 30.
As lately as final week, DeChambeau denied being enticed by the mammoth upfront payouts and look charges being provided to the world’s prime golfers by LIV Golf.
“Me, there’s clearly a variety of dialog,” DeChambeau mentioned on the PGA Tour’s Memorial Event. “For me, I personally don’t assume that at this cut-off date I’m in a spot in my profession the place I can danger issues like that.”
DeChambeau’s agent, Brett Falkoff, issued an announcement to a handful of stories retailers on Wednesday: “Bryson has all the time been an innovator. Having the chance to get in on the bottom ground of one thing distinctive has all the time been intriguing to him. Skilled golf as we all know it’s altering, and it’s occurring shortly.”
DeChambeau and Reed will more than likely be added to the record of tour members dealing with punishment from the PGA Tour commissioner, Jay Monahan, who has mentioned that gamers selecting to play within the LIV Golf occasions with out the tour’s permission may face suspension from the PGA Tour or a lifetime ban. No tour participant was granted a launch to play on this week’s occasion outdoors London.
