Dustin Johnson unveils latest LIV Golf signing amid Jon Rahm rumours
LIV Golf's Dustin Johnson has confirmed he has traded Peter Uihlein for Harold Varner III ahead of the breakaway tour's third campaign.
Dustin Johnson has a new LIV Golf teammate and it's not Jon Rahm.
On 7 December, it was confirmed he had traded Peter Uihlein for Harold Varner III.
Varner was part of Bubba Watson's RangeGoats GC alongside Talor Gooch and Thomas Pieters.
But the 33-year-old former PGA Tour pro will play the third campaign of the breakaway tour with Pat Perez and Patrick Reed as part of the 4Aces.
Perez was at the end of his contract with the rival league having only penned a two-year deal and his future as a professional golfer looked uncertain.
Much like Graeme McDowell, Perez looked like he could've been given the cold shoulder but he was given a lifeline.
What's interesting about this trade is that Gooch, the 2023 LIV individual champion, left the 4 Aces before the second campaign so he could team up with his good buddy Varner.
If you're not familiar with Varner, he is known for aiming some brutal digs towards rival league players.
Before the 2023 Masters, he famously called out LIV players for being 'full of s---' when some have claimed they joined the Saudi-backed tour to 'grow the game'.
"They're growing their pockets," he said. "I tell them all the time, all of them: 'You didn't come here to f—— grow the f—— game."
Varner had ummed and ahhed over his decision to join LIV but ultimately revealed the offer was too good to turn down.
"The opportunity to join LIV Golf is simply too good of a financial breakthrough to pass by," he wrote in a lengthy statement.
"I know what it means to grow up without much. This money is going to ensure that my kid and future Varners will have a solid base to start on.
!And a life that I could have only dreamt about growing up. It'll also help fund many of the programs I'm building with my foundation.
"Your opinion of me may have changed because of this announcement. No lie, that'll be tough thing to deal with.
"But I haven't changed - I'm still me. I promise you that."
Varner has captured one individual LIV title in his career.
That came in May where he held off Branden Grace to claim LIV's event in Washington, DC.
Varner placed fifth on the 2023 money list, amassing $9,125,833 in official prize money.
That was one place higher than his new captain Johnson who earned $8,739,678.
Harold Varner interjects question to Talor Gooch about his Ryder Cup prospects.
Watch: pic.twitter.com/35YwvWFay4— GolfMagic (@GolfMagic) August 4, 2023
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Ben joined GolfMagic as Content Executive in September 2021 just before the Ryder Cup and has contributed significantly to the growth of the site. Ben now assumes our Content Manager role, specialising in PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf content.
