Two-time master champion Bubba Watson has announced he will join the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series. Watson is the sixth former Masters champion to join LIV Golf, giving the tour nine of the last 19 Augusta National Masters winners. According to The Post and The Telegraph, Watson will receive approximately $48.6 million in guaranteed compensation for the move.
The 43-year-old joined Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, Phil Mickelson, and Sergio Garcia. LIV has yet to make an official announcement, but the former No. 2 said he was ready to make his LIV debut in an event held outside of Boston on Labor Day weekend in early September.
Watson missed much of the season due to a torn meniscus. He revealed his injury after competing early in the PGA Championship and finishing tied for 30th. His most recent win came at the Travelers Championship in 2018. He is now ranked 86th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
His best individual finish on the PGA Tour this season was a T-14 at the Waste Management Open. He tied fourth place with Harold Varner III at the Zurich Classic. According to multiple reports, Watson will captain one of the four-man teams on his new tour.
Watson has 12 PGA Tour victories, including two Masters titles in 2012 and 2014 and World Golf Championship victories at the HSBC Champions and Match Play in 2014. He competed in four Ryder Cups (2010, 2012, 2014, and 2018) and two Presidents Cups (2011, 2015).
Watson’s opinion on LIV
LIV Golf is sponsored by Saudi Arabia, a country where human rights violations are rampant. Amnesty International said the kingdom has an “appalling human rights record.”
When asked about his decision, Watson told Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig, “They’re trying to change.”
“They started with women’s golf—started supporting the women’s golf [through a series of events on the Ladies European Tour]—and then they started supporting men’s golf,’’ Watson said.
“There’s women’s tournaments already that they sponsor. [They’re] trying to grow the game. They’re trying to change industry over there, bring golf, bring tourism to Saudi Arabia with the beautiful beaches that they already have.’’
Now that the well-known left-hander has signed with LIV Golf, Watson, like the other players who’ve signed with the company, will be suspended by the PGA Tour as soon as he tees up in Boston.
“It will be interesting to go over there and play, but also see the beauty of other parts of the world that God’s created,’’ Watson continued. “I can’t wait to get over there.’’
LIV Golf has a lot of money to spend. In May, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund invested $2 billion in LIV Golf. LIV announced that in 2023, it would expand to 14 tournaments with a total prize pool of $405 million.
The third LIV Golf event takes place on Friday at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey, with Charles Howell III, Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson, and Jason Kokrak making their LIV Golf debuts.
LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman said that the current schedule would include stops in North and Latin America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe.