The 7 biggest LIV Golf deals including $800m Tiger Woods offer as breakaway stars who earned millions return to PGA
BREAKAWAY LIV Golf stars are set to reunite on the PGA Tour after the feuding organisations merged together.
The Saudi-backed LIV circuit launched in 2022 to much controversy amid allegations of sportswashing.
But huge stars like Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson were prised over from the PGA.
Although Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods were among those to snub the rebel format.
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman revealed he offered American legend Woods up to $800MILLION (£645m) to jump ship.
It would have made him by far the highest-paid athlete in the world, which currently stands at £110m-a-year-man Cristiano Ronaldo.
Phil Mickelson is believed to be the biggest earner with LIV after receiving a £160m signing on fee, half of which he got up front.
The Telegraph say that Johnson was paid £100m to sign on to what was a four-year deal.
Bryson DeChambeau is said to have been guaranteed £80m when taking his driving talents to LIV, the same sum Brooks Koepka got.
Sergio Garcia was another big name to pack up and leave with a healthy £32m figure to do so.
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Ian Poulter is also said to have been offered £24m, a deal he one described in 2021 as “a no-brainer”.
PGA’s shock merge with LIV was confirmed by commissioner Jay Monahan.
He said: “After two years of disruption and distraction, this is a historic day for the game we all know and love.
“This transformational partnership recognises the immeasurable strength of the PGA Tour’s history, legacy and pro-competitive model and combines with it the DP World Tour and LIV – including the team golf concept – to create an organisation that will benefit golf’s players, commercial and charitable partners and fans.”
But according to golf writer Dan Rapaport, the PGA Tour did communicate the news to players – who found out online.
And Collin Morikawa tweeted: “I love finding out morning news on Twitter.”