With concern increasing LIV Golf's representation in the majors, one of the tour's most prominent players turned down an invitation to next week's PGA Championship in Valhalla.
The rival golf tour, backed by Saudi Arabia, will be represented by 16 players in Louisville, Kentucky, but notably absent from the official US PGA field list on Tuesday was South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Louis Oosthuizen plays a tee shot during day two of the LIV Golf Invitational – Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on March 2, 2024, in Saudi Arabia. (François Nel/Getty Images)
He Winner of the 2010 British Open He was offered an invitation to participate, but ultimately declined, citing “personal commitments,” according to The Associated Press.
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It was not immediately known what those “commitments” were.
LIV Golf is currently on hiatus following LIV Golf Singapore, where Oosthuizen finished second in a close battle against three-time PGA Tour winner Brendan Steele. The next tournament in Houston is scheduled for June 7-9.
Louis Oosthuizen during the first day of the LIV Golf Invitational – Hong Kong on March 8, 2024, in China. (Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
LIV GOLF'S PHIL MICKELSON SENDS STRONG WARNING ABOUT THE FUTURE OF GOLF IN SOCIAL MEDIA POST SINCE REMOVED
Players from the rival circuit continue to make their presence felt at majors, despite being denied world ranking points for LIV-sanctioned tournaments last fall.
Of the 16 players competing in Valhalla, seven are currently among the top 100 players in the world rankings. Headlining the group will be Brooks Koepka, who is the only active member of LIV Golf to win a major after joining the tour.
He won his fifth major title in the PGA Championship last year.
Brooks Koepka stands with the Wanamaker Trophy after winning the PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club on May 21, 2023, in Rochester, New York. (David Cannon/Getty Images)
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Six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson entered the conversation this week after issuing a warning about the future of golf in a since-deleted post on social media where he questioned the level of competition without some of the game's best players.
Mickelson, a two-time PGA Championship winner, will be among the LIV players at Valhalla next week.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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