It is anticipated that Henrik Stenson would soon lose his role as Ryder Cup captain and join the LIV Golf Invitational Series, which is sponsored by Saudi Arabia.
The 2016 Champion Golfer of the Year, who will represent Team Europe in the biennial competition in September, has frequently been connected to the Greg Norman-led tour.
After failing to make the cut on Friday at The Open in St. Andrews, Stenson informed reporters that his schedule for the rest of the year was “undecided.” The 46-year-old is now likely to dedicate himself to the breakaway circuit.
In the press conference following his one-shot triumph at St. Andrews, Australia’s Cameron Smith, the new Champion Golfer of the Year, would not confirm rumors that he was exploring the breakaway circuit.
When asked about joining LIV Golf, immediately after his win at The Open, Smith said: “I just won the British Open, and you’re asking about that. I think that’s pretty not that good.
Smith, who is now exempt in all four majors until 2027, added: “I don’t know, mate. My team around me worries about all that stuff. I’m here to win golf tournaments.”
LIV Golf players considering Asian Tour appearances?
Players who joined the circuit are suspended indefinitely by the PGA Tour, while the DP World Tour issued £100,000 fines for those competing in the opening event of the inaugural season, leaving limited playing opportunities for LIV Golf members outside their own events.
Players on the Greg Norman-led tour are in danger of rapidly slipping down the standings due to the lack of world rankings points now available, which could jeopardize their future eligibility to play in big tournaments. Paul Casey confirmed that those involved are examining other options.
“There’s talk about guys sort of playing a couple of Asian Tour events,” Casey said after his final round at The Open. “I don’t even know the schedule. I’m sorry, whether they go play something before Bangkok to get ready, or the break in August.
“Do they go play to be a bit sharper? There’s a lot of discussion, a lot of WhatsApp chat group feeds going around. I’m not part of most of them. I think the discussion was if guys turn up en masse, then it lifts the world ranking points. So if they’re going to go play an Asian Tour, they all go together.”
What next for the LIV Golf Invitational Series?
Trump National Golf Club Bedminster hosts the next event from July 29-31 and a further tournament takes place in Boston from September 2-4, the week after the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship.
Rich Harvest Farms in Chicago is the venue for the fifth event, taking place from September 16-18, while Stonehill Golf Club in Bangkok is the venue from October 7-9 and Royal Greens Golf Club the site of the Saudi International in recent years hosts the following week.
The season-ending Team Championship will be held at Trump National Doral Miami from October 27-30. LIV Golf then plans to have 10 events in its 2023 calendar before expanding to 14 tournaments from 2024, although dates and locations for those have not yet been confirmed.
