We've got your back, says Liv to golfers

DALLAS • While it might be a court fight that ultimately decides who can play where, some of the world's top golfers, who are in Dallas for the Byron Nelson tournament, which started yesterday, have applauded the PGA Tour's decision to deny releases for members to play in next month's inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event in London.

Six-time Major champion and reigning PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson, 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia and former world No. 1 Lee Westwood are some of the names that have reportedly sought a release from the PGA to play at the Centurion Club.

The money that the LIV events - which are fronted by Australian golf great Greg Norman and backed by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund - can offer is particularly enticing.

It will have 48-player fields and US$25 million (S$34.9 million) purses - making every leg of the series more lucrative than the richest PGA event and roughly more than double the prize money on offer for each of the four Majors.

On Tuesday, Norman claimed "19 of the top 100 players" had already decided to play at LIV's maiden tournament - with or without a release from the PGA - and the two-time Major champion will announce the field next week.

However, world No. 1 and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler will not be involved.

Affirming his commitment to stick with the PGA, he said on Wednesday: "If you're playing here on the PGA Tour, playing in something that could be a rival series, it's definitely not something we want our membership to do because it's going to harm the tournament that we have opposite that."

The PGA's Canadian Open is set to run from June 9-12 but that is in direct conflict with the June 9-11 LIV event in London.

"I'm sure that's why they did not release the players, because if we have 15 guys go over there and play, that hurts the (tournament sponsor) RBC and the Canadian Open," Scheffler said.

Former Masters runner-up and fellow American Will Zalatoris agreed, saying: "Why would we encourage our players to get releases for those events when essentially we have all these sponsors that are involved with the tour and are only making it better and better?"

But 2017 PGA Championship and world No. 8 Justin Thomas does not believe that players should be forced to stay against their will, calling on those who are reportedly keen on switching circuits to state their position.

"If you want to go, go," he said. "There have been plenty of guys that have been advocates of it and have just talked it up all the time and they have been guys behind the scenes that are saying, 'I'm going, I'm doing this'.

"My whole thing is 'Just go then. Stop going back and forth or say you're going to do this'. Everybody is entitled to do what they want."

Meanwhile, Norman has doubled down on the LIV events, offering to cover any fines imposed by the PGA and provide legal help to players who make the move.

"If you so choose to want, as an independent contractor, to come and play with us, we've got your back," he said.

"I'll break it down to three very simple things - we'll defend, we'll reimburse and we'll represent."

Asked if LIV's lawyers had injunctions in place to protect players in the face of any bans, Norman said: "Yes. We're going to back up the players, we're going to be there for them, we're prepared for that, whatever that is.

"We don't want to go, but we're ready to go."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS