By Paul Gueorgieff

Where is the Super Golf League headed?

What is the future of the Super Golf League — or should that be the LIV Golf Invitational Series?

I’m not even sure what the proper name of the league or series is and it is much more difficult to predict where it will land on the world golf landscape.

At the time of writing it was not clear who had put up their hands to play but some names mentioned in the news media included Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen.

But mentioned does not mean signed up. That’s because participation in the series could see players refused entry to the world’s two biggest golf circuits, the PGA Tour in the United States and the DP World Tour (former European Tour).

PGA Tour chief executive Jay Monahan, however, is now thought to be likely to grant permission for players to take part in the opening event of the series because the tournament is technically not part of a new tour at this stage.

But that’s not the case for DP World Tour boss Keith Pelley who is said to be taking a more hardline approach.

Monahan and Kelly had previously warned players they risked lifetime bans from the tours and the Ryder Cup if they signed up to the breakaway venture. Pelley last month claimed the European circuit’s future would be placed in jeopardy as a result of the new league. 

The first event of the series is just a couple of weeks away. It will be held at the Centurion Club in England from June 11-13 and will carry a purse of $US20 million which immediately makes it the richest tournament in the world. Not bad for an opener.

A further seven tournaments have been scheduled culminating with a $US50 million event in Florida in the United States in October. That figure of $US50 million was not an error.

All eight tournaments are team events with four players in a team. The field for each tournament is limited to 12 teams (48 players), there is just three rounds and there is not cut.

It is believed the opening event in England is oversubscribed with around 70 applicants which means LIV chief executive Greg Norman may have some tough calls to make when it comes to who is in and who is not. 

Money for the series comes from Saudi Arabia which in itself has provided some controversy but the main question for me is how hard a line will the bosses of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour takes on those who participate?

Money is the big attraction. Besides the mammoth purses on offer, players are said to also being offered huge financial incentives simply to compete.

It is difficult to understand just how this series will take off, partly because of the team aspect of the tournaments and the likelihood none of the world’s elite players will participate. Time will tell.