Greg Norman sends invites to PGA Tour players for first LIV Golf event

Greg Norman has reportedly sent out numerous invites to PGA Tour players today for them to take part in the first tournament of a new LIV Golf Invitational Series this summer. 

Norman last week revealed his new eight-event LIV Golf Invitational Series will commence at Centurion Club in England in June, and today it has come to light that the Australian has sent out invites to prospective players. 

The LIV Golf Invitational Series is the official name of what the golf industry had been calling the Saudi Golf League in recent months.

It remains to be seen exactly which PGA Tour players have been targeted, especially when the majority of the world's top 50 have committed themselves to the PGA Tour, including Bryson DeChambeau, who many felt would be signing up for it. 

Lee Westwood has been strongly linked and even admitted to having signed an NDA with partners of the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

Phil Mickelson continues to take a break from the sport as he looks to work on himself following his controversial comments about Saudi Arabia and the PGA Tour at large, but there will certainly be an invite on his doormat today. 

Backed by Saudi millions, the opening tournament will be staged over 54 holes and feature 48 players on 12 four-man teams along with a lucrative $20 million individual first prize. 

There will be 12 team captains, too, which will soon be revealed. 

According to Golf Channel, the invitations were sent out to PGA Tour players and other Tour pros with a link for them to register "for the opportunity to be considered."

Applicants will be confirmed based on qualification criteria and formal invites will then follow in May, one month before the first event that incidentally falls a week prior to the US Open. 

Criteria will be based on leading players in earnings or points from the Asian Tour (three), DP World Tour (three) and PGA Tour (three) followed by the top two players from the PGA Tour Australasia, Sunshine Tour and Japan Golf Tour (six), the leading three players from the Asian Tour’s international series and top 22 players from the world ranking.

The invite also noted that players would not have to commit to future events in order to compete in the first tournament at Centurion Club, England. 

"In year one, there will be a max of 48 players on 12 four-man teams and a truly global field with golfers invited from all tours around the world to beta test the new format," reads a statement on the LIV Golf website. 

"The 2022 LIV Golf Invitational series will unfold over seven regular season events that crown an Individual Champion and culminates in a Team Championship match-play event for $50,000,000."

Following the first event in London, the LIV Golf Invitational Series then moves to Portland in early July followed by New Jersey later in the month.

LIV Golf will then move to Boston in early September, before moving to Chicago two weeks later. 

They will then head over to Bangkok in early October, a week prior to heading over to Saudi Arabia, which is funding the entire series. 

A team championship will then conclude matters at the end of October. 

Next Page: Augusta National reportedly "strongly encouraged" Phil Mickelson "not to come" to The Masters