LIV Golf

Most people say curiosity brought them to the course, just to see how a LIV tournament stacks up against the PGA. "I haven't seen one of these yet, a shot gun ...

The overall individual purse at The International in Bolton, Mass., is $20 million with the winner taking home $4 million.

Along with the individual event, there is a team competition that pays out $5 million overall. Yet by joining LIV Golf and [making his debut at this week’s LIV Golf Invitational Boston](https://www.golfdigest.com/story/cameron-smith-jumps-to-liv-golf-to-spend-more-time-in-australia-home), the 29-year-old Aussie could exceed each of those paydays with a victory at The International in Bolton, Mass. With only 48 players in the field and no cut, everybody who competes is guaranteed to take home at least $120,000.

Fred Couples is the latest golfer to take aim at Cameron Smith, the reigning British Open champion, who left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf.

And by weekends i mean 72 holes. "so sorry, I was busy earning a living on the @pgatour and in my line of work the goal is to EARN your way to work weekends. Fred Couples continues his loyalty to the PGA Tour and those golfers who dislike or have spurned the Saudi-backed LIV Golf continues to dump gas on the continuing fire brewing between the two entities.

The Sporting News is providing live updates from the LIV Golf Boston event, which features several high-profile debuts.

LIV Golf Bedminster winner Henrik Stenson will be out due to medical reasons. -- Cameron Smith looks like he's off to a solid start, as he sticks his third shot on a Par 4 close to the hole. -- Smith sets himself for a shot at at birdie on the Par 3 second hole with a nice approach, but it's by no means a gimme. -- 4 Aces, as usual, is off on the right foot as Talor Gooch gets started at 2 under and Johnson is at 1 under. -- Tons of players already under par here, as some players look to break the seal. -- A lot of shuffling and reshuffling at the top of the leaderboard here in the first nine, but no one seems to be able to catch up to Gooch up top. -- Smith sinks the putt to tie Gooch atop the leaderboard at 5 under, as he continues his impressive debut. -- Johnson also capitalizes on the hole to hit a birdie and move up to 4 under, tied for second. Phil Mickelson is toward the bottom of the field, tied at 44 at 3 under. -- Niemann stays one off the lead after pushing a putt right of the cup. As he lines up for birdie he keeps glancing in the direction of the music. -- With the front nine wrapped, Talor Gooch sits atop the leaderboard at 6 under with newcomer Cameron Smith in the mix tied for second.

Cameron Smith, the No. 2 player in the world, is among six veteran players who will make their debuts for the breakaway series at an event outside Boston ...

Open in June, but the brightly colored LIV Golf banners sprouting in another Boston suburb this week — they read, “Golf, but louder” — prove how much has changed in such a short time. The severe splintering of men’s golf may have been unforeseen back at the U.S. These groups may hold golf’s future in their hands, with the reserved, assiduously circumspect officials of the Augusta National Golf Club getting the first opportunity to make a profound statement for 2023. The sport is in the midst of an unprecedented showdown with hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. Varner conceded that when his decision to commit to LIV Golf was announced on Tuesday, he was stunned by the negative comments on social media it engendered. That’s a sizable jump in player earnings, and, not coincidentally, closely mimics the prize money available at the eight LIV Golf events this year. Unlike nearly every one of his predecessors who have abandoned the PGA Tour for the rival series, Smith, who was reportedly paid $100 million to join LIV Golf, did not try to shamelessly deny that money played a factor in his decision. But Varner, who earned $10.4 million in prize money on the PGA Tour, said he took LIV Golf’s upfront signing bonus — his payment has not been disclosed — to protect his family financially. Protests and controversy about LIV Golf’s financial backing have dogged each of the series’ three previous events, which were held outside London, near Portland, Ore., and at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. When Phil Mickelson, the well-compensated headliner of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, played his first holes at the U.S. — Roughly 11 weeks ago in the Boston suburbs, men’s professional golf welcomed the game’s best players to the 122nd U.S. Five days before that event began, the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in England was ending; it was largely treated as an anomalous curiosity.

Some said it's hypocritical to single out LIV Golf tournament when other sports leagues get money from countries with reported human-rights abuses.

“I’m here to educate people and let them know where the money is coming from,” said Moulton, who added that the U.S. “It’s one of the most repressive governments on earth.” Senate team of Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, plus U.S. Jim McGovern of Worcester, should have joined the protesters. Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. The group numbered fewer than a dozen, holding signs and banners that said, “Saudi Money is Blood Money” and “Saudi Arabia kills journalists and kids in Yemen.”

Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch look to fend off a strong cast of pursuers over the next 36 holes.

The two biggest signings in the latest wave of LIV Golf acquisitions impressed in their debuts. He is one of two players to capture top-10 finishes in each of the first three LIV Golf events and one of the best in the world from tee to green. The former Oklahoma State standout carried the momentum from his final round of 7 under at LIV Golf Bedminster into the same score in his opener in Boston. Finally returning to full health, Casey's ball-striking may allow him to compete with some of the younger players on the LIV Golf circuit. With three more birdies and an eagle on the par-5 12th, the 23-year-old came home in 3 under to sign for a first round 7-under 63. 2 Cameron Smith, 23-year-old Joaquin Niemann and a number of other names, the LIV Golf event in Boston got off to an exhilarating start.

Matthew Wolff became a footnote in LIV Golf history with the first hole-in-one. He's tied for the lead at the LIV Golf Invitational-Boston.

Along with four double bogeys, Kim took a 10 on the 16th hole and shot 87. Johnson has finished in the top 10 in the previous LIV events, though he has yet to win. [Cameron Smith](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/9131/cameron-smith), among six players who recently joined the Saudi-funded league, broke a wedge with a shot from behind a tree that allowed him to save par, and he finished with a 45-foot eagle putt for a 64. The ball took one-hop and disappeared into the cup for the first ace in the fourth LIV Golf Invitational series. The ball rolled just through the green and he saved par. [James Piot](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/495040/james-piot) had a 77, but the rough day belonged to [Sihwan Kim](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/3861/sihwan-kim). One was on the 16th hole when he pulled his driver into the trees. Smith was solid at the start and finish with a few errant drives in the middle. 2 in the world. "I love how it is out here. I love that stuff." [Anirban Lahiri](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/4989/anirban-lahiri) (66), [Harold Varner III](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/6991/harold-varner-iii) (67), [Marc Leishman](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/3351/marc-leishman) (70) and [Cameron Tringale](http://www.espn.com/golf/player/_/id/4645/cameron-tringale) (71).

Though a number of LIV defectors like Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed have resigned from the tour, there are 22 individuals—highlighted by Phil Mickelson and ...

Mickelson, who is one of the players who has remained in the lawsuit, has asserted that because his lifetime membership (given to those who have won a minimum of 20 career tour events) was earned and that it shouldn’t be taken away. [antitrust lawsuit](https://www.golfdigest.com/story/liv-golf-antitrust-lawsuit-pga-tour-phil-mickelson) against the tour in August protesting their suspensions, although four of those have since withdrawn their names from the suit. Additionally, Mickelson was served an earlier [suspension](https://www.golfdigest.com/story/phil-mickelson-suspended-by-pga-tour-in-march-for-recruiting-players-to-liv-golf) for recruiting players to LIV Golf, and received added time to that suspension for playing in the first two LIV Golf events.

LANCASTER, Mass. – Art Shaughnessy and his son, Donovan, stood in a line of people at the Bolton Fairgrounds Friday morning, waiting to board shuttle buses ...

“I’m here to educate people and let them know where the money is coming from,” said Moulton, adding that the Massachusetts Senate team of Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, plus Worcester U.S. “It’s one of the most repressive governments on earth.” Jim McGovern, should have joined the protesters. As for LIV Golf, and whether it’s hearing their message from the course that is several miles away from the designated protest area at the fairgrounds, Garber believes LIV is getting so much money from Saudi Arabia that “they don’t give a damn.” When asked if their message was getting across to those in line who seemed to be more interested in getting to the event, protester Paul Garber of Acton said the “ordinary person will say blood money from Saudi Arabia is a bunch of crap.” The group numbered less than a dozen, holding signs and banners that said, “Saudi Money is Blood Money” and “Saudi Arabia kills journalists and kids in Yemen.”

Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson has shot only one round in the 60s since he joined LIV Golf in June.

“[But] I can contribute tomorrow and I'm going to see if I can turn it around and do that.” If there’s any consolation, Mickelson’s LIV team, Hy Flyers GC, is leading the LIV Boston event at 11 under, courtesy of teammates Wolff (63) and Bernd Wiesberger (66). BOLTON, Mass — Phil Mickelson did not mince his words Friday at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston. But translating that to tournament rounds is the issue. The score put Mickelson fourth from last in the 48-man field and 11 shots behind leaders Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch. But Mickelson has not broken 70 in 13 rounds since then, which includes missed cuts at the U.S.

Joaquin Niemann of Chile, who also signed with Greg Norman's league after he finished his PGA Tour season at the Tour Championship, and Talor Gooch also were at ...

BOLTON, Mass—The question was whether Cameron Smith would add legitimacy to LIV Golf after leaving the PGA Tour and signing on as the World No.

Matthew Wolff and Talor Gooch sit atop the leaderboard after one day of action in the LIV Golf Invitational Series at The International Golf Club in Bolton, ...