Golf's $2 billion breakaway league reeling after stars reject bids
The Saudi-backed Super Golf League (SGL) has been left reeling after two of its major targets rejected the bids and claimed they would remain on the PGA Tour.
On the weekend, Dustin Johnson and Bryson DeChambeau both committed their futures to the PGA Tour despite the reported astronomical sums of money offered to the pair.
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DeChambeau was reportedly offered a $200 million contract to join the SGL, but announced he would be staying on the PGA Tour as long as the world's best remain.
"While there has been a lot of speculation surrounding my support for another tour, I want to make it very clear that as long as the best players in the world are playing the PGA Tour, so will I," he wrote on Twitter.
"As of now, I am focused on getting myself healthy and competing again soon. I appreciate all the support."
Only a few hours before, Johnson reiterated DeChambeau's point that he wants to remain with the best players in the world.
"Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of speculation about an alternative tour; much of which seems to have included me and my future in professional golf.
"I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to play on the best tour in the world and for all it has provided me and my family.
"While there will always be areas where our Tour can improve and evolve, I am thankful for our leadership and the many sponsors who make the PGA Tour golf's premier tour."
The duo now join players such as Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Colin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka all acknowledging they'll stay with the PGA Tour.
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Both DeChambeau and Johnson's commitment to the PGA Tour has left the SGL reeling.
The breakaway league, spearheaded by Australian golf legend Greg Norman and LIV Golf Investments, looked certain to go ahead last week,
However, a four day tournament in America has surely derailed their plans.
And Phil Mickelson's latest comments haven't helped.
In a stunning interview, the 51-year-old admitted the threat of a new league has given the players leverage to squeeze more money out of the PGA Tour, and said he is not even certain he wants the breakaway to succeed.
In an interview with Alan Shipnuck for his forthcoming book, 'Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar', Mickelson talked about his concerns of the Saudi regime and compared it to 'sportswashing'.
The American admitted he has concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record in a telephone interview with Shipnuck last November, adding: "They're scary mother******* to get involved with.
"Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.
"The Tour likes to pretend it's a democracy, but it's really a dictatorship. They divide and conquer."
Following Mickelson's comments, and the biggest names in the sport staying put, only time will tell hour the SGL responds.
with AAP
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