Dustin Johnson Resigns from PGA Tour After Taking Reported 9-Figure Mega-Deal to Join Saudi Tour: ‘I Chose What’s Best for Me’

Dustin Johnson has resigned from the PGA Tour after taking a reported nine-figure mega-deal to play in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf.

The deal is worth $125 million, multiple outlets have reported.

“Obviously at this time it’s hard to speak on what the consequences will be, but for right now I resigned my membership from the Tour,” said Johnson on Tuesday. “I’m going to play here, for now. That’s the plan. But what the consequences are going to be, obviously I can’t comment on how the [PGA] Tour is going to handle it.”

LIV hosts its first tour this week in St. Albans in England.

Phil Mickelson has reportedly been paid $200 million to participate in LIV Golf, and is by far its most high-profile signee, with Johnson second. Among those joining Johnson and Mickelson to play on the LIV are major champions Charl Schwartzel and Sergio Garcia, as well as notable players including Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na and Ian Poulter.

LIV Golf has come under fire for being backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund given the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was critical of the Saudi regime. U.S. intelligence has deemed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as having backed the move to take out Khashoggi in at the Saudi embassy in Turkey.

Mickelson once blasted the Saudis as “scary motherfuckers to get involved with” – only to apologize.

“We know they killed Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay,” he said. “Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”