Dustin Johnson joins Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm in committing his future to the PGA Tour as he decides to ‘put speculation to rest’… handing breakaway Saudi-backed rival golf league another blow
- Dustin Johnson ends Saudi speculation and pledges allegiance to PGA Tour
- The 37-year-old joins the likes of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in committing
- World No. 6 Johnson was expected to join a league formed by Greg Norman
Former world number one Dustin Johnson has committed his future to the PGA Tour, delivering another blow to the prospects of a breakaway golf league.
The two-time major winner has joined the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka in resisting the overtures of a Saudi-backed rival circuit spearheaded by Greg Norman.
In a statement released by the PGA Tour, Johnson said: ‘Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of speculation about an alternative tour; much of which seems to have included me and my future in professional golf.
Dustin Johnson has committed his future to the PGA tour joining the likes of Tiger Woods
The 37-year-old insists the PGA is the best tour in the world and that he never wanted to leave
‘I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour.
‘I am grateful for the opportunity to play on the best tour in the world and for all it has provided me and my family.
‘While there will always be areas where our Tour can improve and evolve, I am thankful for our leadership and the many sponsors who make the PGA Tour golf’s premier tour.’
Johnson’s announcement comes three days after Phil Mickelson’s motives for potentially joining a breakaway league were laid bare in an extraordinary extract from a new biography of the six-time major winner.
The 51-year-old admitted the threat of a new league has given the players leverage to squeeze more money out of the PGA Tour, and said he is not even certain he wants the breakaway to succeed.
In an interview with Alan Shipnuck for his forthcoming book, ‘Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar’, Mickelson also claims the new league is an attempt at ‘sportswashing’ by the Saudi regime.
Phil Mickelson was hopeful of a breakaway league and stars would join to end the PGA Tour
Tiger Woods is another golfer who has joined Johnson’s forces in remaining in the competition
Mickelson admitted he has concerns about Saudi Arabia’s human rights record in a telephone interview with Shipnuck last November, adding: ‘They’re scary mother******* to get involved with.
‘Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.
‘The Tour likes to pretend it’s a democracy, but it’s really a dictatorship. They divide and conquer.’
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