LIV Golf at the Centurion Club London: what is LIV Golf, which players are taking part and can I watch on TV?

One of the most controversial new events in golf is taking place in London, with the event already underway.

It began on 9 June, and ends on 11 June, with some speculating that it threatens the integrity of the sport.

With the new event shrouded in controversy, we look at what it is, what players and participating and what some pros have had to say.

What is LIV Golf?

With multiple high end golfing events taking part every year, one that may be slightly unfamiliar to golf fans and casuals alike is LIV Golf.

It has been dubbed both the most lucrative yet controversial golf tournament in the world, and is taking place on the cusp of London.

In a nutshell, LIV Golf is a rival league to the PGA Tour, and in essence, mirrors the inception of the European Super League in football.

The new format features 12 teams and 48 players, with the league promising to provide ‘new rivalries’.

With the PGA recognising the threat of the proposal, they threatened to hand out lifetime bans to players who signed over to the rival league.

LIV Golf, fronted by former world number one Greg Norman is a start up organisation, and features some of the most recognisable faces in the sport.

LIV Golf announced a $250m eight-event invitational series in March 2022, with the company behind the recent purchase of Newcastle United, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) being the majority shareholder in the firm.

Who is taking part in the event?

With a huge sum of money up for grabs, this event has attracted some of the biggest names in the sport to play.

The 12 teams taking part are:

• 4 Aces GC
• HY Flyers GC
• Punch GC
• Smash GC
• Iron Heads GC
• Cleeks GC
• Crushers GC
• Majesticks GC
• Stinger GC
• Fireballs GC
• Niblicks GC
• Torque GC

More recognisable names include six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, former world number one Dustin Johnson as well as Sergio Garcia alongside the UK duo of Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.

Former major champions Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen are also competing.

To view every player taking part in the new event, visit the LIV Golf official website.

What have some players said about the new rival league?

When the proposal of LIV Golf was still fresh in February, high profile golfer Dustin Johnson initially distanced himself from the LIV Golf series, stating that he was "committed to the PGA Tour"

However, since that statement he has made a U-turn on his words, and signed up to the series in a deal worth a reported $150 million.

Golf legend Phil Mickleson also said he "needed more balance on and off the course and this gives me an opportunity for more balance"

The new rival league to the PGA has also tried to entice the biggest fish, Tiger Woods. Woods, however, made his stance clear, saying: "I believe in legacies. I believe in major championships. I believe in big events, comparisons to historical figures of the past. There’s plenty of money out here."

Can I watch it on TV?

In the UK, it is unable to be watched on TV as it has not yet been picked up by a broadcaster.

However, there is still opportunity to see it as free to stream on the LIV Golf YouTube channel and Facebook page.