Dustin Johnson was among the earliest high-profile golfers to depart the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022, participating in the league’s debut event in England, which was backed by Saudi funding.
This week, LIV Golf makes its return to England — the site of its inaugural tournament two years ago.
Over the past three years, LIV has competed with the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the game’s other tours to cement its place in the game. Some of the biggest names in golf have signed up to play on the Saudi-funded circuit, including Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, and there’s talk of a women’s league being launched in the coming years.
But back in 2022, LIV was just finding its feet in the sport. To help establish itself ahead of its inaugural event at Centurion Club three years ago, the series, then under the leadership of Australian golf icon Greg Norman, signed a superstar in Dustin Johnson. Elsewhere, Scottie Scheffler’s ‘childish’ financial agreement with his caddie emerged after his $3.1 million win.
As a former world No. 1 and Masters champion, Johnson immediately became one of LIV’s leading figures due to his standing in the game. But his decision to play for Norman’s league saw him exiled from the PGA Tour and out of consideration for the Ryder Cup.
It was reported at the time that Johnson was handed a $150 million contract by LIV. To put that into perspective, he had won $74 million in career prize money upon joining LIV. With one handshake, Johnson had picked up more than double his career earnings.
“I don’t want to play for the rest of my life, this gives me an opportunity to do what I want to do,” Johnson told reporters when asked why he joined LIV.
Dustin Johnson has greatly benefited from the large prize funds offered by LIV Golf, earning over $58 million in tournament winnings alone. This includes an $18 million reward for winning the 2022 LIV Golf Individual Championship. Only Talor Gooch, who won the 2023 title, has earned more from LIV, with $64.4 million.
Johnson, a major winner at the 2016 U.S. Open and 2020 Masters, was questioned about the possibility of never playing in the Ryder Cup again after making the switch to LIV. He has represented Team USA in five Ryder Cups, with victories at Hazeltine in 2016 and Whistling Straits in 2021.
Commenting on the matter, Johnson said: “The Ryder Cup has always meant a lot to me, but in the end, I made the decision I felt was right for me and my family. Things can always change, and I hope I’ll get the opportunity to play again in the future.”
Since joining LIV, he hasn’t been selected for the Ryder Cup and is unlikely to participate in this year’s event at Bethpage Black in New York.
Johnson has made it clear that his decision to leave the PGA Tour was driven by what he believed was best for his family. He’s married to Paulina Gretzky, daughter of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, and they have two sons.
In 2022, he said: “I made the choice for my family. I gave up my PGA Tour membership. As for the consequences, I don’t know how the Tour or the majors will respond. I’m still exempt for the majors, so unless I’m told otherwise, I plan to keep playing in them.”
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