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#Dustin Johnson a surprise in LIV Golf Tournament field

“Dustin Johnson a surprise in LIV Golf Tournament field”

The roster for the the first event in the controversial Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf League is out, and there are some notable names in the field — and a big one missing.

Dustin Johnson headlines the 42-player field, which also includes Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Kevin Na, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, battling it out for the $25 million winnings.

In February, Johnson said he would be sticking with the PGA Tour, though he seems to have changed his mind in recent days. By playing in the LIV Golf Tournament June 9-11, Johnson will miss the RBC Canadian Open — the Canadian financial service company is one of his main sponsors — though he is still listed in the field.

Dustin Johnson waves after making a putt on the 18th hole
Dustin Johnson was a surprise addition to the field of the LIV Golf Tournament
AP Photo

“Dustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years,” Johnson’s agent David Winkle said in a statement. “Ultimately, he decided it was in his and his family’s best interest to pursue it. Dustin has never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it has given him, but in the end, felt this was too compelling to pass up.”

Tour commissioner Jay Monahan has threatened bans for players who join the Saudi-backed series, which now counts the 37-year-old Johnson and Oosthuizen as top-20 golfers among its ranks. The PGA Tour denied all requests for players to play in tournament, with the DP World Tour following suit.

Missing from the Greg Norman-fronted tournament — at least for now — is Phil Mickelson, who was vocal about using the big prize money from the LIV tournament as a cudgel against the PGA Tour. Mickelson, who downplayed the Saudi Arabia-sanctioned murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, saw the LIV tournaments as a means to pressure the PGA Tour to raise its stakes for players.

Phil Mickelson of USA and Greg Norman, CEO of Liv Golf Investments interact
Phil Mickelson is not among the field for the Greg Norman-led LIV Golf series.
WME IMG via Getty Images

Mickelson has since avoided the spotlight, though thre is still a chance he could the festivities at the Centurion Golf Club outside of London — there is still one slot left open and five more for players to qualify via the International Series event in London.

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