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LIV Golf players list: Everyone who has quit PGA Tour and DP World Tour to play in the 2023 series

Cameron smith, dustin johnson and phil mickelson are among other players to have pledged their commitment to liv golf.

When the highly contentious LIV Invitational Series resumes in 2024, it will boast reigning Masters champion and world No 3-ranked Jon Rahm as the latest of golf’s most famous players who have signed up to play .

Rahm , a four-time winner on the 2023 PGA Tour, member of Europe’s Ryder Cup -winning team and prior critic of the LIV format , joins the league bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in a deal reportedly worth up to £450m.

Rumours had begun to swirl over the Spaniard’s future, including when he was notably absent from the line-up of golfers committed to the PGA Tour’s American Express stop in January, as well as withdrawing from the Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy -backed TGL league’s inaugural season last month.

And despite admitting his decision to join LIV was a “risk” in terms of his future participation in the Ryder Cup – the 29-year-old will need to remain a member of the DP World Tour to be eligible for the biennial USA vs Europe showdown – Rahm told Fox News : “Things have changed a lot in the game of golf over the past two years and I’ve seen the growth of LIV Golf and the innovation.

“That’s why I’m here today. This decision was made for many reasons and what I thought was best for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great deal.”

The 2024 LIV Golf schedule will feature 14 stops, including new events in Las Vegas, Houston and Nashville.

2024 LIV Golf Schedule 2-4 February:  LIV Mayakoba — El Cameleon Country Club 8-10 February : LIV Las Vegas — Las Vegas Country Club 1-3 March:  LIV Saudi Arabia — TBD 8-10 March:  LIV Hong Kong — Hong Kong Golf Club 5-7 April:  LIV “USA” — Location and course TBD 26-28 April:  LIV Adelaide — The Grange Golf Club 3-5 May:  LIV Singapore — The Serapong Golf Club 7-9 June:  LIV Houston — The Golf Club of Houston 21-23 June:  LIV Nashville — The Grove Golf Club 12-14 July:  LIV Andalucia — Real Club Valderrama 25-28 July:  LIV UK: Staffordshire — JCB Golf and Country Club 16-19 August:  LIV Greenbrier — The Old White Course at the Greenbrier TBD:  LIV Golf Individual Championships TBD:  LIV Golf Team Championships.

Who played in the 2023 LIV Golf series and how did it work?

The financial package put forward by LIV Golf seduced Dustin Johnson , Lee Westwood , and Sergio Garcia from the get-go last year, with Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter and plenty of others signing up soon after.

Mickelson was reportedly paid $200m (£159m) just for turning up, while Johnson, the top-ranked player to have joined so far, earning $150m (£119m). Johnson announced his resignation from the PGA Tour in order to concentrate fully on the new tournament fronted by former world No 1 Greg Norman, but the PGA has since suspended all players to have made the switch.

Besides the eye-watering signing-on-fees, the prize money on offer is staggering. There is a $25m (£19.9m) purse to be split between the 48 players per tournament in the eight-event series, with the winner pocketing $4m (£3.2m) and the loser earning $120k (£95k).

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The format is also very different from traditional majors. There are 54 rather than 72 holes for a start – “LIV” is 54 in Roman numerals – there is a “shotgun” start where players tee off at the same time, and golfers are grouped into teams of four.

Johnson is captain of the “4 Aces”, Mickelson is leading the “Hy Flyers” and Poulter is affiliated to “Majesticks”.

The first 2022 tournament was held in England, with subsequent events taking place in Portland, Bedminster, Boston, Chicago, Bangkok, Jeddah and Miami.

In the build-up, players faced questions about “sportswashing” and whether Saudi Arabia is seeking to deflect attention from its human rights record by investing so heavily in the sport. Mickelson previously called the Saudis “scary motherf**kers” before backtracking.

“I don’t condone human rights violations at all,” he said. “I’m certainly aware of what has happened with Jamal Khashoggi and I think it’s terrible. I have also seen the good that the game of golf has done throughout history and I believe LIV Golf is going to do a lot of good for the game as well.”

Graeme McDowell said “we’re not politicians, we’re professional golfers,” in regards to the country’s human rights record and Talor Gooch responded “I’m a golfer, I’m not that smart”. Poulter and Westwood both said they would not answer “hypothetical questions” when asked whether they would have played in a tournament held by Vladimir Putin or in South Africa during Apartheid.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka, former US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau and ex-Masters champion Patrick Reed signed up to the breakaway competition after the first event, while Paul Casey was also confirmed in early July.

Open champion Cameron Smith and Joaquin Niemann were then among a fresh wave of players unveiled by LIV Golf.

The 2023 series kicked off in Mayakoba in February, followed by tournaments in Tucson, Orlando, Adelaide, Singapore, Tulsa, DC, Valderrama, London, Greenbrier, Bedminster, Chicago, Miami and Jeddah.

2023 LIV Golf players list A-Z

Here are all 48 players who competed in the 14-event series in 2023.

There were 12 teams in total, with 13 major champions in the field, 16 nations represented, and a combined 125 Ryder Cup appearances.

Four players – Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka and Lee Westwood – have held the title of world No 1. Scroll down for the teams and more analysis.

• Abraham Ancer
• Richard Bland
• Dean Burmester
• Laurie Canter
• Eugenio Chacarra
• Bryson DeChambeau
• Sergio Garcia
• Talor Gooch
• Branden Grace
• Sam Horsfield
• Charles Howell III
• Dustin Johnson
• Martin Kaymer
• Brooks Koepka
• Chase Koepka
• Jason Kokrak
• Anirban Lahiri
• Marc Leishman
• Graeme McDowell
• Phil Mickelson
• Jediah Morgan
• Sebastian Munoz
• Joaquin Niemann
• Andy Ogletree
• Louis Oosthuizen
• Carlos Ortiz
• Mito Pereira
• Thomas Pieters
• Ian Poulter
• Patrick Reed
• Charl Schwartzel
• Cameron Smith
• Brendan Steele
• Henrik Stenson
• Cameron Tringale
• Peter Uihlein
• Harold Varner III
• Scott Vincent
• Bubba Watson
• Lee Westwood
• Bernd Wiesberger
• Matthew Wolff

LIV Golf 2023 team names and roster

• 4Aces – Dustin Johnson (captain), Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Peter Uihlein
• Cleeks – Martin Kaymer (captain), Graeme McDowell, Richard Bland, Bernd Wiesberger
• Crushers – Bryson DeChambeau (captain), Paul Casey, Charles Howell III, Anirban Lahiri
• Fireballs – Sergio Garcia (captain), Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra
• HyFlyers – Phil Mickelson (captain), Cameron Tringale, James Piot, Brendan Steele
• Iron Heads – Kevin Na (captain), Sihwan Kim, Scott Vincent, Danny Lee
• Majesticks – Ian Poulter (co-captain), Henrik Stenson (co-captain), Lee Westwood (co-captain), Sam Horsfield
• RangeGoats – Bubba Watson (captain), Harold Varner III, Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters
• Ripper – Cameron Smith (captain), Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan
• Smash – Brooks Koepka (captain), Matthew Wolff, Jason Kokrak, Chase Koepka
• Stinger – Louis Oosthuizen (captain), Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester
• Torque – Joaquin Niemann (captain), Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig

Analysis: LIV Invitational is morally bankrupt and won’t revitalise golf

By Matt Butler

The name is quite clever: LIV. In Roman numerals it is 54 and the players in this new incarnation of golf kicking off in the exotic locale of Hemel Hempstead will play that many holes. Neat, huh?

Of course, you might say that a new sporting franchise bolstered by limitless petrodollars would be expected to be creative with its branding.

But the new kid in town is a sign that golf is in desperate need of some love. Whether that love comes from a despotic regime with a dreadful record on human rights is something for Phil Mickelson , Dustin Johnson , Lee Westwood and, err, James Piot to ponder as they chase a ball around a course for a share of 20 mill a tournament.

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And if you put aside the ickiness of the Saudi regime behind Jamal Khashoggi ’s killers providing the lipstick and mascara to the game, the concept of a quickfire bunch of tournaments with a set season and eight-figure sums of cash riding on each one sounds intriguing – even if the reason why players joined appears to be all about the money. Not that cold hard cash as a motivator is news, especially in the world of golf.

The rules are thus: everyone tees off at once. It is called a shotgun start, which sounds a little violent, given the paymasters, but I guess bonesaw start would have been too much. Twelve teams of four play in a match-play format, with individual members also competing in a strokeplay competition. There is no cut to miss. So far, so mildly diverting.

However, toe-curlingly twee “Camden Market-style” stalls, a Craig David and Jessie J gig and Sporty Spice on the decks post-match does not sound like much of an answer to the organiser’s promise to “supercharge” golf.

Read Matt’s full analysis here

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LIV Golf announces teams, players for 2023; Four PGA Tour players, Pieters officially join league

Charlie Crowhurst/LIV Golf

LIV Golf is rolling out its teams and rosters this week on the eve of the circuit’s second season.

Rather than announce its members at once for the 2023 campaign, the Saudi-backed league sent out a press release stating its players and squads will be trickled out just days before the 14-event season begins in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The team names and captains have been previously announced, and nearly all of the LIV’s marquee attractions from its inaugural season are expected to return.

Unlike last season, it is not expected that players and teams will change every event. There are at least two team name changes, with the Niblicks turning into Range Goats GC and Punch going to Ripper GC.

Torque, captained by Joaquin Niemann, was the first team announced on Wednesday, with Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz and David Puig rounding out the team. Golf Digest has previously reported that Pereira and Munoz were expected to join the league in Year 2, but their moves became official on Wednesday. Smash GC, headlined by Brooks Koepka, added Matthew Wolff to the roster, after Wolff played last year with Phil Mickelson’s team. Brooks' brother Chase Koepka and Jason Kokrak are also on the team. The Majesticks, led by Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter, are bringing back the same team as last year with Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield. The 4 Aces return with Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez, with Peter Uihlein taking the place of Talor Gooch.

In total four new players from the PGA Tour signed with LIV Golf ahead of its second season, as Danny Lee and Brendan Stelle joined Munoz and Pereira in defecting. Former Ryder Cup star Thomas Pieters, who earlier in the week complained about not getting invited to the Genesis Invitational, has also jumped to LIV. Pieters, No. 34 in the world, played mostly on the DP World Tour.

RELATED: Inside the LIV Golf-PGA Tour battle

Below are the team names, team captains, rosters and schedule for the 2023 season. The names and rosters will be updated as they are announced. Both individual and team competitions similar to the inaugural season will return to LIV Golf in 2023. Last month the league announced a multiyear media deal with the CW, giving LIV Golf its first traditional television broadcast partner in the United States.

LIV Golf Teams and Rosters

Torque GC : Captain Joaquin Niemann, Mito Pereira, Sebastian Munoz, David Puig Majesticks GC : Captains Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Sam Horsfield Smash GC : Captain Brooks Koepka, Chase Koepka, Matt Wolff, Jason Kokrak 4 Aces GC : Captain Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Peter Uihlein Fire Balls GC : Captain Sergio Garcia, Abe Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Eugenio Chacarra HY Flyers GC : Captain Phil Mickelson, James Piot, Brendan Steele, Cam Tringale Iron Heads GC : Captain Kevin Na, Scott Vincent, Danny Lee, Sihwan Kim RangeGoats GC : Captain Bubba Watson, Talor Gooch, Thomas Pieters, Harold Varner III Ripper GC : Captain Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan Cleeks GC : Captain Martin Kaymer, Bernd Wiesberger, Richard Bland, Graeme McDowell Crushers GC : Captain Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III Stinger GC : Captain Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace, Dean Burmester, Charl Schwartzel

Feb. 24-26: El Camaleón Golf Club, Playa Del Carmen, Mexico March 17-19: The Gallery Golf Club, Tucson, Ariz. March 31-April 2: Orange County National, Orlando, Fla. April 21-23: The Grange Golf Club, Adelaide, Australia April 28-30: Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore May 12-14: Cedar Ridge Country Club, Broken Arrow, Okla. May 26-28: Trump National Golf Club, Washington, D.C. June 30-July 2: Real Club Valderrama, Sotogrande, Spain July 7-9: Centurion Club, London, England Aug. 4-6: The Old White Course, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Aug. 11-13: Trump National Golf Club, Bedminster, N.J. Sept. 22-24: Rich Harvest Farms, Sugar Grove, Ill. Oct. 20-22: Trump National Doral, Miami Nov. 3-5: Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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LIV Golf Now Has 26 Of The World’s Top 100 Golfers. Here’s Who They Are.

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At 29 years old, Cameron Smith has six wins on the PGA Tour.

LIV Golf has landed another superstar.

On Tuesday, the breakaway Saudi-backed tour announced the signing of six new golfers. Headlining the group is Australia’s Cameron Smith, the No. 2 ranked golfer in the world who won the British Open in July. He will be joined by fellow countryman Marc Leishman, Chile’s Joaquin Niemann, India’s Anirban Lahiri and Harold Varner III and Cameron Tringale of the United States.

Financial details for any of the signings were not immediately available. However, The Telegraph previously reported that Smith has a $100 million-plus agreement with LIV, which is now well known for offering players enormous guarantees. Forbes estimates that upfront payments from LIV Golf boosted the earnings of the world’s ten highest-paid golfers by $370 million this year.

Like Smith’s reported figure, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka all reportedly landed upwards of $100 million from the new tour, with half believed to be upfront. Mickelson’s $138 million haul before taxes and agents’ fees over the last 12 months is $8 million more than what the highest-paid athlete in the world, soccer legend Lionel Messi, was paid over the 12 months through May.

After much speculation, Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and Cameron Young of the U.S. will both still call the PGA Tour home for now. Matsuyama reportedly had a $400 million guarantee on the table from LIV. Young reaffirmed his decision while speaking to reporters at the Tour Championship, but didn’t shut the door entirely. “Frankly, throughout the whole process with them I was very interested,” Young said. “I think they have a bunch of good ideas.”

With $2.4 billion in backing from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund over the next couple of seasons, LIV aims to reshape the professional golf landscape. The outfit hired Greg Norman as CEO and Commissioner in August 2021, after the former No. 1 golfer in the world had toyed with a similar idea for nearly 30 years .

Much remains to be sorted out, including how LIV can balance its exorbitant spending with potential profitability.There’s also a legal battle playing out. In August, a contingent of LIV golfers led by Mickelson sued the PGA Tour in antitrust court over the latter’s decision to ban any LIV defectors. Several players have since dropped the suit, but LIV officially joined as a plaintiff on Friday, alleging that its “ability to maintain a meaningful competitive presence in the markets will be destroyed.”

So far, LIV has held three of its eight scheduled events for 2022. Smith and the other new signings will debut at the next event in Boston on September 2.

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Players, fans, the pga tour and more: the winners and losers from liv golf's first year, share this article.

Believe it or not, just 143 days passed between LIV Golf’s first event outside London and its eighth last week at the season-finale team championship in Miami.

The upstart circuit led by Greg Norman and backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has dominated much of the conversation surrounding the world of golf this year, and will likely continue to do so. Despite a three-month offseason between now and when the yet-to-be-released 2023 schedule is slated to start in February, there will still be plenty to talk about from the ongoing court cases to future player movement.

But for now, let’s take a look back at the biggest winners and losers from LIV Golf’s inaugural year.

Winner – Fans looking for something new

Fans make their way through the main gate during the second round of the LIV Golf tournament at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. (Photo: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports)

Whether you enjoy it or not, LIV Golf offers something new to the traditional 72-hole stroke play tournaments that fans see week-to-week on various tours. There’s a market for the soon-to-be-league, it just depends on what you want from a golf tournament.

If you’re a golf fan who loves the game for history and competition, these events may not be for you. But if you’re a fringe golf or general sports fan who loves festivals and fanfare, you may be interested.

There’s music playing throughout the day and plenty of options in the fan village to keep your attention if the on-course action isn’t doing it, such as varying food and drink options (Greg Norman’s alcohol brand, included), a kids zone, golf activities ranging from putting and chipping challenges to mini golf and even a performance center loaded with multiple digital hitting bays and video games.

You almost forget you’re at a golf tournament.

Loser – Golf fans in general

Golf fans at the LIV Golf Invitational at The Centurion Club on June 09, 2022, in St Albans, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

During a presentation of the league model for 2023 with select members of the media, LIV officials repeatedly mentioned how they wanted to be additive to the professional golf scene. Instead, the circuit’s creation started a chain reaction of events that has left the game fractured with fans and players each taking sides.

Rory McIlroy, who has been on the figurative front lines from the start on the side of the PGA Tour, said in a recent interview that the “us versus them” situation has gotten out of control, and he’s spot on.

“If the two entities keep doubling down in both directions, it is only going to become irreparable,” McIlroy told the Guardian . “We are going to have a fractured sport for a long time. That is no good for anyone.”

Winner – LIV players

The 4 Aces (Talor Gooch, Pat Perez, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson) celebrate after finishing in first place at the LIV Golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. (Photo: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports)

During just the regular season, of the 68 players to tee it up, a whopping 48 players made more than $1 million, with 15 making more than $4 million over LIV’s first seven events. Dustin Johnson, LIV’s inaugural regular-season champion , blew away the field thanks to $10,575,267 in individual earnings for a $13,637,767 total with his 4Aces team prizes included.

That’s without last week’s team championship money, where the payouts ranged from $1 million to the four teams who lost in the quarterfinals to the $16 million paid out to Johnson’s victorious 4Aces .

Getting paid more to work less is a massive win, but more on that to come.

Loser – LIV players

Former President Donald Trump with Bryson DeChambeau during the LIV Golf Bedminster pro-am. at Trump National in Bedminster, N.J., on July 28, 2022. (Photo: The Record)

You can’t talk about LIV Golf for very long without talking about the money and its controversial source. With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as its sole funder, LIV Golf has long been criticized as a way for the Kingdom to sportswash its human rights record. Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. Not to mention members of the royal family and Saudi government were accused of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist.

When players left the PGA and DP World tours to join the breakaway, they did so knowing their reputations may take a hit. They knew they would compromise their chances to compete in not only team competitions like the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, but also the majors due to LIV events lacking OWGR points. Harold Varner III was one of the few to be honest and rational about the situation.

“For me, I think we knew what we were getting into. I think it’s easy to sit here and say what could happen, what should happen. But obviously, for me, I knew what was going to happen,” said Varner, who’s known to tell it like it is . “I knew exactly what was going to happen. I knew what could happen in my career and I accept that.”

Players have lost a lot, from sponsors to the chance to etch their name into the game’s history, but that’s what the big money is supposed to make up for.

Winner – LIV caddies

Dustin Johnson and his caddie celebrate after making a putt to win the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Boston after the final round playoff hole of the LIV Golf tournament at The International. (Photo: Richard Cashin/USA TODAY Sports)

The players get bigger paydays with LIV Golf, which means the caddies do, as well. Those who carried the bag during LIV’s first year also said they felt more like part of the team, a dynamic the league concept is founded on. Not only is it a more relaxed vibe, but caddies can go to player dining with their bosses, and their travel expenses are also covered (this year by LIV, next year by the teams themselves).

“They make you really feel like you’re just another player, which is awesome,” said Mike Hartford, longtime caddie for Pat Perez dating back to 2002.

Each caddie still wants to win and give their player the proper yardage and advice, but no cut and a guaranteed $120,000 to last place certainly lessens the pressure and makes for a more enjoyable walk. That’s a win.

Loser – The broadcast

Analyst David Feherty, shown here on the 18th during the final round of the 2018 Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts, signed on late for LIV Golf. (Photo: Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via AP Images)

LIV had 20 international partners to broadcast events in 160 different countries, but failed to secure a domestic TV deal in the United States. Instead, American viewers streamed the series on YouTube and LIV’s website.

One of the biggest issues golf fans in the states have with PGA Tour broadcasts is the oversized commercial load and lack of golf actually shown. With zero commercials on the live stream – aside from some in-house LIV promotion – and 48 players all on the course at one time, it was easy for LIV to succeed in that sense. Viewers saw a lot of golf, and the power of the PIF was shown with how quick LIV was able to create a solid visual production.

That said, the broadcast talent, for lack of a better word, fell woefully short. Arlo White’s super-enthused exclamations failed to match the scenes on camera and the overdramatized calls were straight up disingenuous. Jerry Foltz didn’t add much flavor, either. Fan-favorite David Feherty joined late, but wasn’t able to fill the massive holes in the commentary booth. Fairway Feherty might need to pick up the gear again in 2023, because while Bubba Watson had his moments later in the year, this blunder summed up the season for the awkward group of on-course reporters that included Dom Boulet, Su-Ann Heng and Troy Mullins.

Tuff scene. pic.twitter.com/8M3gwMbfJu — Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) October 29, 2022

Last month,  Golfweek reported LIV Golf was nearing a deal to purchase air time for its tournaments with Fox Sports 1. The yet-to-be-finalized deal would have LIV pay for not only the time slot, but also the production cost. LIV called the report “incomplete and inaccurate” at the time, but when specifically asked at the team championship if LIV would be open to paying for tournaments to be aired, COO Atul Khosla didn’t reject the idea.

Winner – Team golf

Brooks Koepka celebrates on the podium with his team following his playoff win in the LIV Golf Invitational-Jeddah at the Royal Greens Golf Club on October 16, 2022. (Photo: Amer Hilabi/AFP via Getty Images)

LIV hasn’t figured it out yet, but the team championship proved that team golf can deliver. You couldn’t have asked for a better ending in Miami: polarizing Patrick Reed made a late birdie to give his team the lead, leaving Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith to play for $16 million on the final hole.

Sure, most of the matches in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds were absolute duds that weren’t worth calling up the YouTube stream, but the big names carried the weight. Whether it was Phil Mickelson and Smith going to the final hole in the quarters or Bryson DeChambeau’s collapse on the 23 rd hole against Louis Oosthuizen, each day provided late drama.

The regular season events and team rosters still need some fine-tuning, but there’s something to be said for the unique team championship format .

Loser – PGA Tour

A PGA Tour sign is displayed near the tee box on the 13th hole ahead of the 3M Open on July 21, 2021, in Blaine, Minnesota. (Photo: David Berding/Getty Images)

They lost some of the best players with Johnson and Smith taking their talents to LIV. Future international stars like Joaquin Niemann walked out the door, same with DeChambeau, Mickelson, and Brooks Koepka, who all boast their own unique following.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan probably should have taken the Saudi circuit more seriously in the early stages. Monahan had his reasons for ignoring LIV early on. Maybe he didn’t want to legitimize the series. Perhaps he was afraid simply speaking with LIV would ruffle the feathers of sponsors (as we’ve seen with players who have joined). We’ll probably find all that out in a tell-all book down the line. No matter what he or the Tour did, LIV was always going to offer insane amounts of money that would most likely still have attracted some of the aforementioned names. But maybe not all.

His statements of “the PGA Tour is moving on,” in reference to LIV and “we are and we always will be focused on legacy, not leverage,” in reference to Mickelson at the Players Championship sounded good in the moment, but may not age well with time.

Winner – PGA Tour players

Max Homa waits his turn on the 18th green during the first round of THE CJ CUP in South Carolina. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

Mickelson said in February that the PGA Tour was obnoxiously greedy, and then he told the Fire Pit Collective’s Alan Shipnuck – who wrote a book on Mickelson – that the Saudis were “scary mother(expletive) to get involved with,”  and downplayed the murder of  Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal Khashoggi and the Kingdom’s deplorable human rights record because he saw a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”

The PGA Tour has since announced sweeping changes to its schedule and will funnel more money to players. While some may parade this as validation for Mickelson’s words and efforts, the PGA Tour has incrementally increased purses over the years. It’s smart business to slowly move money and not wildly spend in case of emergencies, like global pandemics and antitrust lawsuits.

While many PGA Tour mainstays have left for LIV’s money-green pastures, their absence opens up spots for future stars to shine. The top players who stayed will also reap the benefits of elevated events and enhanced incentives. Win-win.

Loser – Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson looks off the ninth tee during the first round of the season finale of the LIV Golf series at Trump National Doral. (Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)

Mickelson still had one of the bigger crowds at each LIV event ( despite his poor form ) but talk about taking two steps forward and three steps back. Less than a year and a half ago Lefty became the oldest major champion in the history of the sport with his win at 51 years old at the 2021 PGA Championship. He was riding high. The fans were all in on his calves and coffee and bombs off the tee. Then he made those incendiary comments.

The backlash that followed forced Mickelson into a self-imposed four-month hiatus before he returned to the game at LIV’s first event outside London. For most of the year, Mickelson was a shell of his former self, on and off the course. He struggled to find his game in the 48-player, 54-hole, no-cut LIV events, finishing inside the top 20 just twice (in two of his last three events), with finishes of T-33 or worse in his other five starts. He also missed the cut at both the U.S. Open and British Open.

Despite a turbulent year, Mickelson looked to the future after being eliminated early at LIV’s team championship and praised how far the upstart circuit had come over the last eight months.

“I’m pretty surprised at how far LIV has come because there was a lot of uncertainty, like who would play in London,” said Mickelson . “You look at the strength of the league now and you have a lot of really strong players and you have a lot of really strong characters in the game.”

Players and characters, he said. Another poor year on the course and Lefty is in danger of becoming more of the latter than the former.

Winner – Greg Norman 

Managing Director of LIV Golf Majed Al Sorour and Greg Norman, LIV Golf commissioner acknowledge the crowd during the award presentation ceremony after the LIV Golf Invitational – Portland at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club on July 02, 2022, in North Plains, Oregon. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)

A two-time Open champion and 20-time winner on Tour, Norman’s company has been involved in various ventures since his playing days, from course design to apparel and alcohol. His shirts are still being worn at PGA Tour events , despite the fact the former world No. 1 has been at odds with the Tour even before LIV, dating back to his failed attempt to create a world golf tour in 1994.

“He has basically found people to fund his vendetta against the PGA Tour,” said McIlroy to the Guardian on Norman. “I think he hides behind ‘force for good’ and all that stuff. … This has been his dream for 30 years, and he has finally found people who can fund that dream.”

LIV has put Norman’s name back in the spotlight, and that’s precisely where he wants to be. Backlash be damned, that’s a win in his book and wallet.

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2024 Tour Championship leaderboard: Scottie Scheffler on top with Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele pressing

It has become a three-horse race at east lake golf club with 36 holes remaining at the fedex cup playoffs finale.

Round 2 of the 2024 Tour Championship on Friday brought some drama as Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa cut into Scottie Scheffler's lead in the FedEx Cup Playoffs finale putting pressure on the world's No. 1 golfer entering the weekend. Entering the second round with a seven-stroke lead, Scheffler saw his advantage cut nearly in half to four by day's end with Morikawa sitting right behind him and Schauffele standing five back as Moving Day approaches at East Lake Golf Club.

Morikawa, who was paired with Scheffler in Friday's final grouping, fired a field-best 8-under 63 to improve to 17 under. Schauffele, meanwhile, had the second-best outing of the day in the group as he finished with a 7-under 64 that was better than any score posted Thursday.

Scheffler was the man who posted that score with a Thursday-low 65, and while he was unable to match that score Friday, a 66 with only one bogey and six birdies ensured he still maintained a comfortable cushion between himself and the rest of the field.

With 36 holes to play, time is quickly running out for challengers to unseat Scheffler, but the weekend may bring with it some suspense. Sahith Theegala, Adam Scott and Wyndham Clark also stayed within striking distance; they sit seven strokes off the lead after big Friday rounds. That could set up an eventful finish from East Lake.

Let's take a look at the leaderboard's current form with the weekend on tap.

1. Scottie Scheffler (-20) : Scheffler's lead of seven strokes entering the day dwindled to just five with Morikawa and Schauffele surging. And yet, his second-round 66 Friday felt more impressive than his first-round 65 Thursday. He has previously failed to close out this event in the past despite holding significant leads, but Scheffler showed poise in pounding greens and escaping with just one bogey on the scorecard along with two birdies across his final three holes.

T2. Collin Morikawa (-17) 3. Xander Schauffele (-16) T4. Wyndham Clark, Sahith Theegala (-12)

Morikawa picked up Friday (four birdies on the front nine) where he left off Thursday (six birdies on the back nine). He went out in 31 and proved he would push Scheffler down the stretch. Schauffele, meanwhile, was relentless in his pursuit all day with a bogey-free 65. Theegala and Clark have a ways to go if they hope to make this tournament interesting, but after respective 5-under and 4-under rounds, they sit just seven off the lead and well within striking distance should Scheffler fall back this weekend.  

Biggest movers

Up : Tony Finau quietly set the tone early in the day with a 66 to move up 12 spots on the leaderboard from 20th to T8. At 9 under, it would take quite a collapse from several guys at the top for him to be a real threat this weekend, but he's lurking in the shadows and could perhaps do more than that should he post another number in the mid-60s on Saturday.

Down : Keegan Bradley fell 17 spots down the leaderboard after Friday 74 that featured three bogeys in his final six holes. Bradley is coming off a win at the BMW Championship last weekend that moved him into the top five of the FedEx Cup standings, but a rough outing Friday moved him to 15 shots off the lead and out of contention for the championship.

Round 2 in the books

Friday's Round 2 play at the 2024 Tour Championship is officially wrapped with Scottie Scheffler -- surprise, surprise! -- once again comfortably leading the field.

Scheffler's lead of seven strokes entering the day shrunk to just four, though, thanks to an 8-under 63 from Collin Morikawa that moved him to within four of the World No. 1. Xander Schauffele got within five and slowly chipped away at Scheffler's lead, too, thanks to a 7-under 64.

Entering the weekend, Morikawa and Schauffele may be the only ones who can chase down Scheffler, but they proved Friday that they're more than just theoretical threats. With both lurking in striking distance and still 36 holes left to play, there's plenty of time for action over the next few days at East Lake to send us off as the FedEx Cup playoffs wrap.

Play set to resume at 6:50 p.m. 

Round 2 of the 2024 Tour Championship, which was suspended at 5:15 p.m. ET due to inclement weather in the area, is scheduled to resume at 6:50 p.m. ET, per the PGA Tour. There are just four groups of two still out on the course at East Lake -- including leader Scottie Scheffler (-19), Xander Schauffele (-15), Collin Morikawa (-15) and Wyndham Clark (-12).

Play suspended in Round 2

Play was suspended at 5:15 p.m. ET in Round 2 at the 2024 Tour Championship due to inclement weather in the area. They blew the horns to get all the players and spectators off the course as a safety precaution, and there is no definitive time yet on potential resumption. 

The pause comes with Scottie Scheffler -- who is part of the last pairing on the course and through 15 holes -- sitting at 19 under and leading by four strokes over Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa. 

Top of the leaderboard looks like so with the round almost completed. 

1. Scottie Scheffler (-19) T2. Xander Schauffele (-15) T2. Collin Morikawa (-15) T4. Sahith Theegala (-12) T4. Wyndham Clark (-12) T4. Adam Scott (-12)

Challengers emerging to Scheffler

Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Xander Schauffele are all 5 under on the round today and emerging as the potential challengers positioned best to track down leader Scottie Scheffler. Morikawa and Schauffele are both 14 under, while Clark is 13 under, which comes as Scheffler drops a stroke at the 13th to fall back to 19 under. Could get interesting leading into the weekend. 

Scheffler makes the turn with pep in step

A shaky start to the day could've injected some doubt into Scottie Scheffler's ability to close the FedEx Cup -- which he's failed to do the last two years -- but he's made leading the Tour Championship by multiple strokes look like cake so far. Scheffler just made the turn with a bogey-free 3-under 32 to keep his lead at six strokes on Xander Schauffele and suddenly-surging Collin Morikawa. Schauffele and Morikawa are both at 4 under on the round but still not within striking distance with Scheffler keeping the field at arm's length for now. 

Xander Schauffele has fantastic front nine

Leader Scottie Scheffler's grip on the lead has at the very least been threatened a smidge by World No. 2 Xander Schauffele, who after an opening-round 70 on Thursday just posted a 4-under 31 on the front nine to pull within six of Scheffler's lead. Schauffele made birdies at 3, 4, 6 and 8 and is on pace for the best round of the day, and perhaps the week. He struggled on the back nine in Round 1 yesterday so a good test of his mettle on deck down the stretch as we prep for the weekend ahead. 

Scheffler steady as ever

If Xander Schauffele's fast start has struck a scare into leader Scottie Scheffler, he certainly isn't showing it. Scheffler just birdied No. 6 -- his second on the day after a birdie at No. 3 -- to move to 2 under on the day and again extend his lead back to six strokes. He then turned around and bombed a 363-yard drive on the par-4 7th -- nearly thirty yards deeper than his drive on the same hole in Round 1 -- to put him in position for another birdie before settling for par. Good start to the front nine of Round 2 for the World No. 1. 

Schauffele storming back

Xander Schauffele came ready to rock in Round 2 as he's taken back multiple shots from leader Scottie Scheffler to move to within five strokes. Schauffele is 3 under through six and sitting 12 under with birdies at 3, 4 and 6. That's already matched his total count of birdies from Round 1, where he battled to an opening-round 70. 

Scheffler's lead shrinks by one

Scottie Scheffler is already in the red today at 1 under through four holes but his lead has shrunk from seven strokes to six after a strong start early from Xander Schauffele. Schauffele is two under on the day thus far with birdies at Nos. 3 and 4, moving him to 11 under. Meanwhile, there's a trio of big names -- Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark and Sam Burns -- who are all at 10 under, T3 and seven off the lead. 

Rory with two almost-makes with the putter on the front nine. This one at No. 1 was a gem that I thought might drop for birdie. He also just missed a shortie on No. 3 that would've been birdie. He's even on the day and yet somehow already licking some wounds. Going to need those to fall to chase down Scottie Scheffler, who is at 16 under. 

Hovland burning edges early

Viktor Hovland is even on the day and has thus far failed to erase his 12-shot deficit on Scottie Scheffler, but it's not without trying. He's now burned two edges through his first six holes on birdie bids that just missed dropping. He's had a bogey and a birdie to remain at 4 under (even on the day) but he's a few inches away from being top-10 on the leaderboard with a spring in his step. 

Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas begin their days

Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas -- a combined six major championships and four FedEx Cup championships between them -- are off and running in Round 2 to start their day. McIlroy is 10 back of leader Scottie Scheffler and Thomas is 11 back sitting at 6 under and 5 under, respectively.

McIlroy, who is the only golfer to have won the FedEx Cup three times, last won in 2022 after winning in 2019 and in 2016. He has had a stellar season with two wins and a soul-crushing second-place finish at the U.S. Open. Thomas last won the FedEx Cup in 2017. He entered the week No. 30 out of 30 qualifiers for the event at East Lake and has not won on the PGA Tour since his win at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in 2022.

East Lake showing its teeth early

Round 2 is off to a rough start for a chunk of the morning crew who were off early to kick off Friday. Only one golfer so far -- Christiaan Bezuidenhout -- is in the red at 1-under. Three are 1 over and one 2 over in the early going of the 10 already on the course. 

Round 2 schedule Friday

Good morning and welcome to our Round 2 coverage of the Tour Championship leading into the weekend. We have a fun Friday on tap at East Lake, where Scottie Scheffler has a sizable lead after firing a 66 (-5) on Thursday in Round 1 to extend his lead to seven strokes. 

The second round is officially underway with Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Billy Horschel off the first tee. Scheffler and Collin Morikawa are in the final group slated to go off at 2 p.m. ET. 

The full tee times are as follows:

2024 Tour Championship tee times, Friday pairings

All times Eastern

• 11:16 a.m. — Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Billy Horschel
• 11:27 a.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Chris Kirk
• 11:38 a.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Tom Hoge
• 11:49 a.m. — Tony Finau, Ben An
• 12:00 p.m. — Robert MacIntyre, Viktor Hovland
• 12:16 p.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Sepp Straka
• 12:27 p.m. — Shane Lowry, Sungjae Im
• 12:38 p.m. — Aaron Rai, Matthieu Pavon
• 12:49 p.m. — Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas
• 1:00 p.m. — Russell Henley, Patrick Cantlay
• 1:16 p.m. — Sahith Theegala, Taylor Pendrith
• 1:27 p.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley
• 1:38 p.m. — Sam Burns, Wyndham Clark
• 1:49 p.m. — Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott
• 2:00 p.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa

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