THREE PGA Tour stars given GREEN LIGHT to play in Saudi International
Cameron Young, Cameron Champ and Lucas Herbert have obtained waivers by the PGA Tour to compete in the Saudi International on the Asian Tour, which is backed by LIV Golf.
Cameron Young, Cameron Champ and Lucas Herbert have been given a green light by the PGA Tour to compete in the Saudi International from February 2-5, according to a report in Golfweek.
The Saudi International was created by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia in 2019 and back then it was a European Tour (now DP World Tour) event.
Fast forward to today and it's now on the Asian Tour, a circuit which is currently heavily backed by the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour.
Golfweek understands that Young, Champ and Herbert have each obtained waivers from the PGA Tour to compete in the tournament in three weeks' time.
As for whether they will each choose to play in the tournament remains unknown.
Herbert's agent has confirmed to Golfweek that he intends to play in the tournament, while Young and Champ are now considering the opportunity.
The Australian has played in the event the last three years, while the American duo have never played in the tournament.
All LIV Golf players remain suspended on the PGA Tour.
The DP World Tour has softened its stance on LIV Golf players as they are allowed to participate in their tournaments, many of which are playing in Abu Dhabi next week.
Despite still being able to compete in DP World Tour events, LIV Golf's Ian Poulter is still firing shots their way ahead of the upcoming court hearing that will ultimately decide their fate for future entries on the former European Tour circuit.
Next month's five-day court hearing will likely also make clearer whether or not LIV Golf players will be eligible to compete at the Ryder Cup in September.
The Saudi International is an Asian Tour event - and not a LIV Golf event - which explains why the PGA Tour has handed waivers to several of its players.
However, LIV Golf has pumped more than $200 million into the Asian Tour so they effectively play a large part in proceedings on the circuit.
Should Young indeed go through and accept his invite into the Saudi International then it would be a controversial one given he is the PGA Tour's reigning Rookie of the Year.
Young and Herbert were also both heavily linked with moves to LIV Golf in 2022, so perhaps their decision to want to play in Saudi Arabia should not be much of a surprise.
Herbert won his sole PGA Tour title at the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, while Champ is a three-time winner with victories coming at the 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship, 2019 Safeway Open and 2021 3M Open.
Young is still searching for his maiden win on the PGA Tour, but he did last year finish runner up at the 150th Open Championship behind LIV Golf's Cameron Smith, and he also finished third at the US PGA.
He's currently ranked 17th in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Herbert is 60th and Champ is 157th.
It is understood by Golfweek that three lower-tier Korn Ferry Tour players have also received releases to play in the Saudi International.
LIV Golf was a big topic of conversation, as it likely will be all season again, during the first episode of GolfMagic's brand new Podcast 'From The Tips'. You can watch the first episode below, and you can also listen on your preferred podcast player.
The new LIV Golf League will tee off in Mexico from February 24-26.
Here's the latest LIV Golf schedule for 2023.
It emerged earlier today in a report in the Telegraph - and something that was confirmed last year by GolfMagic - that Chile's Mito Pereira will be announced as the next LIV Golf League player.
It is understood a number of other PGA Tour players will also be joining him.
Earlier today, Netflix confirmed that its new 'Full Swing' documentary will be going live on February 15, and it will feature the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.
More controversially, it will also feature Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Ian Poulter, who all ended up moving to LIV Golf last summer.
Let's just say we can't wait to see that.
