Dustin Johnson’s move to LIV shook the world of golf in 2022, and one PGA Tour member thinks it has denied him the legacy he deserves.
Since the start of LIV Golf in 2022, there hasn’t been a shortage of critics, but one of the PGA Tour’s normally more composed members recently delivered a harsh critique of the breakaway league’s effects on the men’s golf industry.
One of the world’s best players, Dustin Johnson made an announcement about joining the LIV Golf League.
Johnson’s exit was certainly among the most unexpected, but he hasn’t joined in on the ongoing rivalry-based taunting that several other players have become involved in since then.
Johnson has been able to catch some strays from the PGA Tour parapet despite his usual air of indifference. Most recently, PGA Tour board member Webb Simpson claimed that Johnson’s departure had denied him the legacy he deserved and had changed the way aspiring young golfers approached their careers.
Simpson was eager to affirm that Johnson remained a wonderful man in an interview with Golfweek.
He couldn’t help but worry, though, that his decision to quit the PGA Tour would have an impact on his legacy in the sport.
He said:
“I love Dustin; he’s a buddy of mine, but he had the opportunity to go down as one of the top 10 greatest players ever, and as soon as he signed his name to LIV – he still could be, but in the record books, we’ll never know.
“It’s not going to count. Things like that make me a little sad. But I’m not knocking the guys for going. I just think these young guys think about it differently, you know.”
One of LIV’s biggest draws ever since it launched has been the enormous financial rewards available, along with a compressed schedule that reduces the amount of tournaments each player must attend annually.
Both of these factors have led to a number of celebrities switching allegiances, most recently Jon Rahm.
It’s easy to see why so many players have flocked to the Saudi-backed league, given that Rahm’s singing bonus is reportedly in the neighborhood of £450 million. However, Simpson continued by highlighting how the enormous sums of money on offer have changed how younger players view the game.
He added:
“One can easily expose greed. Not because the guys heading to LIV are all greedy, but because these young guys are giving it so much thought, I feel like this generation has missed out on or is uninterested in the things that previous generations valued, such as being inducted into the Hall of Fame, winning a lot of money on the PGA Tour, and competing for major championships. Everyone discusses money.
When Johnson joined LIV in 2022, he reportedly received a $150 million deal. However, since then, more young amateur golfers, like the gifted junior Caleb Surratt, have aligned themselves with LIV.
Surratt has competed for his nation in the Junior Ryder Cup and was once the junior world champion.
He was also a part of the Walker Cup squad in 2023, and it appears certain that he will be a member of Rahm’s unidentified squad in 2024.
