17 Golfers Including Phil Mickelson are Suspended by the PGA Tour For Doing This

The PGA Tour has suspended 17 golfers, including Phil Mickelson, for playing in a Saudi-backed LIV event.

Major championship winners including Mickelson and Dustin Johnson were suspended for competing in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf event near London.

The PGA Tour will also suspend any future tour players who play in LIV events, an internal memo says.

According to LIV Golf, the decision is “vindictive” and said it “deepens the divide between the Tour and its members.” The suspensions are indefinite.

Mickelson is a major recruiter for LIV Golf, which is funded mainly by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. He has won six major golf championships, is second behind Tiger Woods on the PGA Tour’s career money leader list with nearly $95 million.

The players “did not receive the necessary conflicting event and media rights release — or did not apply for releases at all,” according to an internal PGA Tour memo. The PGA Tour will also suspend any future tour players who play in LIV events, says the memo, which is dated Thursday.

“These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons,” the memo reads. “But they can’t demand the same PGA TOUR membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you.”

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