LIV Golf’s season has officially wrapped up, but the controversy has not gone away.
Key Details
- The controversial Saudi-backed LIV Golf league wrapped up its season over the weekend at Trump National Doral in Miami, Florida.
- The well-financed startup tour has caused a lot of commotion in the golf world as it has pulled many big name golfers away from the PGA with promises of hefty checks.
- The tour did as it promised to and has paid big money to its newly signed players it took from the PGA—but still controversy arises.
Why it’s news
LIV Golf has been making headlines for the last few months as the startup league pulls names from the well established PGA to join the league.
LIV is also backed by the Public Invest Fund, led by the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which concerns a large number of people.
LIV held its $50 million season finale team championship this week at Trump National Doral in Miami. Dustin Johnson’s team 4Aces won the top prize of $16 million—leaving each player with around $4 million to take home.
Cameron Smith’s team Punch GC finished second to earn $8 million, with Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC in third ($6 million), and Louis Oosthuizen’s Stinger GC in fourth ($4 million), according to Golf Week.
These numbers for LIV are quite large considering the largest purse for the PGA this year was only around $3.6 million.
Despite many golfers’ loyalty to the PGA like Tiger Woods who has openly voiced his disdain for the players who have turned on the tour, golfers are still leaving the PGA Tour for the guarantee of millions won with LIV.