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The proposed Super Golf League (SGL) is a Saudi Arabian-backed
venture that has been courting most of the sport's marquee
players over the past year.
Nearly half of the top-50 players in the world rankings are at
this week's Saudi International, and the Daily Mail reported
that it has led to meetings with several prominent players.
Dustin Johnson and England's Lee Westwood are among those in the
field who have said they are not allowed to disclose whether
they have received offers from the breakaway league.
According to the report, England's Ian Poulter is among multiple
established players who have received offers of up to $25
million from the Saudis. However, the SGL is seeking a young
superstar to join the upstart effort and the 28-year-old
DeChambeau has reportedly been the focus.
"There's an awful lot of meetings going on in Saudi that people
don't know about," a source told the Daily Mail. "They are
talking to players that I never thought in a million years would
be tempted."
Any player who joins the SGL faces a potential lifetime ban from
the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour (the latter formerly know as
the European Tour).
In the case of Poulter, it would mean a lifetime ban from both
tours and likely foregoing the ability to play for -- or captain
-- Team Europe in future Ryder Cup competitions.
Reports last May surfaced that negotiators for those behind the
SGL had been in South Florida making lucrative offers to several
marquee players in the range of $30 million to $50 million.
At the time, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy called the proposed
breakaway league "a money grab" and said he was first approached
by representatives for the proposed league in 2014. He was
joining the chorus of other marquee players including Brooks
Koepka and Spain's Jon Rahm, who said in the spring of 2020 that
they had no intention of joining what was known then as the
Premier Golf League.
Talk of the PGL-turned-SGL helped lead to the creation of the
PGA Tour's $40 million Player Impact Program, designed as a
bonus pool for its 10 most popular stars. McIlroy said last year
that he's "very much against" the notion of a breakaway circuit,
but that hasn't stopped the SGL's effort's to lure star players
with lucrative offers.
"Everyone in the top 100 of the world has been approached," Phil
Mickelson said Wednesday from Saudi Arabia. "I'm appreciative of
the fact that there is competition, and that leverage has
allowed for a much better environment on the PGA Tour.
"We would not have the increase in the FedEx Cup money. We would
not have the increase in The Players Championship to $20 million
this year if it wasn't for this threat."
Johnson was asked if he has received an offer similar to
Poulter's.
"I'm not allowed to disclose. You'd have to ask Ian that one,"
Johnson said, adding when pressed, "No, not similar. It's not
similar."
--Field Level Media
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