14 February 2024 , 20:16
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The 2022 Genesis Invitational was dominated by a man not competing in Phil Mickelson, after his explosive interview with Fire Pit Collective on Saudi Arabia's steps into the game was released.
In that interview, which Mickelson went on to claim was 'off the record', the six-time major champion described the Middle Eastern state as 'scary motherf******', before defending their involvement in pro golf in order to gain leverage over the PGA Tour.
In the immediate aftermath, the comments were not well received, with Mickelson himself drawn into a public apology before going into exile for four months.
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He returned however for the formation of LIV Golf in June 2022, and since then the former PGA Tour star and the league have not looked back. A number of the Tour's biggest names have also followed in the footsteps of Mickelson in making the switch, but many were not always on board.
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On the back of his initial comments, a number of players pledged their loyalties to the PGA Tour, rubbishing any chance making the move. Two years on though, five stars - including that year's Genesis champion - have had a change in heart.
Joaquin Niemann
Starting with the 2022 champion at Riviera, Joaquin Niemann. The Chilean star had broken through as one of golf's hottest prospects, and his win at the Genesis capped off his burst onto the scene. The same week of his win, Niemann sounded out any chance of joining Mickelson at LIV Golf, after claiming 'nothing could compete' with winning on the PGA Tour.
''Everyone's here to compete against the best players in the world. I'm here to do the same,'' he said at the time. ''Winning a PGA Tour event, getting a trophy, having Tiger there, all the history behind it, there's nothing that can compete with this.'' Two years on, the Chilean is a LIV Golf winner and captain of Torque GC.
Dustin Johnson
Dustin Johnson pledged his loyalty to the PGA Tour on the back of the Mickelson's comments (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)After Niemann prevailed in the opening LIV event of 2024 in Mexico, he was soon followed up by Dustin Johnson in Las Vegas a week later, as he claimed his third title on the breakaway circuit. Like the Chilean though, he too rubbished the chances of joining Mickelson at Riviera in 2022.
"I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully committed to the PGA Tour," he declared in a statement. "I am grateful for the opportunity to play on the best tour in the world and for all it has provided me and my family."
Bryson DeChambeau
On the back of Johnson's statement he was followed by Bryson DeChambeau in pledging his loyalty to the PGA Tour in the wake of the Mickelson controversy. He said at the time: "While there has been a lot of speculation surrounding my support for another tour, I want to make it very clear that as long as the best players in the world are playing the PGA Tour, so will I."
Things have since changed though, and like Johnson, Niemann and Mickelson, is one of LIV's team captains, in charge of last year's season champions, Crushers GC.
Brooks Koepka
Another one of LIV's current team captains also shared the same view on the back of Mickelson's bombshell comments two years ago in Brooks Koepka. The American has been brutally honest in the motives behind his LIV move since signing on the dotted line, but the five-time major winner was not always on board.
Brooks Koepka joined LIV Golf in June 2022 (Matthew Bolt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)Speaking in the days after the 2022 Genesis, he said: "I don't see [LIV] backing down; they can just double up and they'll figure it out. They'll get their guys. Somebody will sell out." That so-called 'sell out' proved to be Koepka himself, as he made the move four months later.
Jon Rahm
The final man on the list is LIV Golf's biggest coup in Masters champion Jon Rahm. After initial resistance, Rahm finally made the Saudi switch for the 2024 season, signing a deal worth a reported £450 million last December. Like many others though, Rahm claimed his loyalties lay with the Tour in Los Angeles two years ago.
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“I wanted to take this time to say that this is my official, my one and only time to talk about this, where I am officially declaring my fealty to the PGA Tour,” he said at the time. “I’m a PAC [Player Advisory Council] member and I have a lot of belief in Jay Monahan and the product.
“There’s been a lot of talk and speculation on the Saudi league and it’s just not something that I believe is best for me and my future in golf and I think the best legacy I can accomplish is on the PGA Tour.”