LIV Golf Invitational Series Invites World's Top Six Amateurs - Report
The Saudi-backed series has extended invites to some of the world's top male amateurs
The LIV Golf Invitational Series has invited the world's top six male amateurs to tee it up in all eight of the first year's tournaments, the Telegraph has revealed.
The inaugural tournament takes place next month at the Centurion Club, where an eclectic field of 48 men are set to tee it up. We've heard rumours and read reports for months of who may or may not be playing, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Bubba Watson all names we would not be surprised to see compete in the $25m opener. World No.1065 Robert Garrigus is also said to be in the field.
On top of those big names, it is understood that invites have gone out to the world's six best male amateur players, and crucially they will be allowed to win prize money according to the Telegraph. Traditionally, non-pros cannot pick up prize money on the recognised PGA and DP World Tours as well as their feeder circuits. Shane Lowry famously missed out on €500,000 after winning the 2009 Irish Open as an amateur.
However, the amateurs will all be guaranteed $120,000 (the last-place cheque) in each of the seven individual tournaments for a minimum total of $840,000. The Team Championship at Trump National Doral then concludes the season where a huge $50m is up for grabs. The amateurs have also reportedly been promised status on the Asian Tour, which LIV Golf Investments has also added funding to via the $300m International Series.
The top six in the World Amateur Golf Ranking are currently Japan's Keita Nakajima, USA's Pierceson Coody, Sweden's Ludvig Aberg, Spain's Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra Coto, USA's Sam Bennett and England's Alex Fitzpatrick, brother of World No.25 Matt.
“We did invite several amateurs as part of our mission to develop the next generation of golf talent,” a LIV spokesperson told the Telegraph. “They can stay amateur or turn pro.”
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Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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