by HERTFORDSHIRE, England – Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed are the latest players ready to join the LIV Golf Invitational Series, which will host its first 54-hole event from Thursday.
The Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday that an announcement is imminent.
A source told SI.com/Morning Reed that DeChambeau and Reed would attend the first U.S.-based event, June 30-2. July, on Pumpkin Ridge outside of Portland, Oregon, and that they had signed for several years.
Representatives of LIV Golf will not comment even though there are plans for future announcements during the tournament at Centurion Club.
DeChambeau, the 28, 2020 US Open champion, had long been debated as one of the players considering moving to the new series of tournaments.
But in February, when controversy erupted over comments critical of the PGA Tour by Phil Mickelson, a huge shift took place, with several players supporting the PGA Tour and stopping talking to LIV Golf.
The original plan was for LIV Golf to start a league consisting of 14 tournaments this year with a team element a large part of the profile. LIV Golf turned to a series of eight tournaments this year with 10 planned in 2023 and the launch of the league in 2024.
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Despite all the negativity, LIV golf managed to secure several famous players, including Mickelson, the double major champion Dustin Johnson, former majors Louis Oosthuizen, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Charl Schwartzel, along with longtime European stars Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.
Adding Reed, the 2018 Masters winner, and DeChambeau would only strengthen the lineup.
DeChambeau, who has eight PGA Tour victories, has largely endured a lost 2022 while tackling injuries, including a broken leg in his left hand that required surgery. He tried to come back too early, missed the cut at the Masters, and then did not play again until last week’s Memorial Tournament, where he again missed the cut.
DeChambeau was asked about LIV Golf, and his answer indicated that he would stick to the PGA Tour.
“Every person out here has their own opinion about it,” he said. “For me personally, I do not think that at this point I am in a place in my career where I can risk such things.
“I’m loyal to my family that I’ve created around me with sponsors and everything. And right now, the golf world is probably going to change to some degree.
“I do not know what that is. Not my job to do that. I’m just going to keep playing professional golf and enjoy it wherever it takes me, playing with the best players in the world. That’s really all I have, that’s what I’m going to do for the rest of my life, because I want to be one of the best players in the world. “
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