Kevin Na first pro to quit PGA Tour

LOS ANGELES • South Korea-born American golfer Kevin Na on Saturday resigned from the PGA Tour in order to avoid facing sanctions for playing in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, making him the first pro to do so.

The 38-year-old world No. 33, who has five PGA Tour titles, is in the field for the lucrative new series' opening event that tees off at the Centurion Club in London on Thursday. Several other top golfers, including former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson and European Ryder Cup stars such as Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, have already signed up for the tournament.

The PGA Tour has warned that members playing in the inaugural LIV tournament - which clashes with its Canadian Open - will face unspecified disciplinary action.

But that has not stopped players from switching camps, including Na, who said on Saturday he was seeking the "freedom to play wherever I want and exercising my right as a free agent gives me that opportunity".

"However, to remain a PGA Tour player, I must give up my right to make these choices about my career," the veteran wrote on Twitter.

"If I exercise my right to choose where and when I play golf, then I cannot remain a PGA Tour player without facing disciplinary proceedings and legal action from the PGA Tour.

"I am sad to share that I have chosen to resign from the PGA Tour. This has not been an easy decision and not one taken lightly.

"I hope the current policies change and I'll be able to play on the PGA Tour again."

Na, who has earned just under US$38 million (S$52.3 million), won the last of his five PGA Tour titles at last year's Sony Open in Hawaii.

His best finish in a Major came at the 2016 US Open, where he finished seventh.

Both the PGA and European Tour see the money-spinning LIV series, which is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, as a major threat.

The LIV series has faced criticism from human rights groups like Amnesty International, which say it is an example of Saudi Arabia attempting to "sportswash" its spotty record.

But the money being offered will be hard to turn down. The US$25 million purse at the Centurion, including US$4 million for the winner, dwarfs the US$8.7 million purse offered by the Canadian Open.

The PGA, for all its riches and status, cannot offer parity.

Some of Na's peers at Memorial, which ended yesterday, are saddened and puzzled as to why he has decided to sever ties with the PGA.

Compatriot Billy Horschel, who on Saturday fired a brilliant seven-under 65 to take a commanding five-shot lead going into the final round at Muirfield Village in Ohio, told Golf Digest: "Did he resign because he didn't want to go down the legal route?

"If the legal route leads to something like a ban from the PGA Tour, I don't think the tour can pull our pension... or whatever. There must be something in there that he thought this is the best thing for him, to resign.

"If I were him, I would stand my ground a little bit. Any way this goes, though, I don't think this is a great look for golf right now."

FedExCup champion and fellow American Patrick Cantlay said: "I think life is a really long time, so it seems silly to me sometimes when people say that they want to resign from something or they pledge their fealty or whatever it is.

"You don't know what's going to happen next week, let alone five or 10 years from now."

Joel Dahmen added: "I would think the tour has been pretty good to him over 19-20 years in his career. I don't understand how you resign. That's a bold statement. What if the LIV folds in a year?"

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE