"Why should they be compensated?" - Dustin Johnson hits back at golfers who think PGA Tour owes them for not joining LIV Golf
Dustin Johnson has been a part of the LIV Golf Series since 2022, and he took a big risk by leaving the PGA Tour. When the PGA Tour and LIV Series first announced their shock merger, there were talks of the golfers who remained loyal to the PGA Tour getting compensated. Dustin Johnson, however, felt quite differently.
Speaking in the second episode of the second season of Full Swing, Johnson said that it was the golfers who joined LIV who had to suffer severe criticism. He added that he did not understand why golfers who stayed loyal to the PGA Tour should be compensated instead.
"No. The guys that went to LIV, we took a lot of criticism. We're the ones that took the risk for everything. So why should they be compensated? Obviously, if this merger comes along, there's gonna be a lot of guys who wishes they would've signed," Johnson said.
LIV Golf and the PGA Tour announced a merger in late 2023, leaving the world of golf in quite a shock. The deal aims to see the creation of a framework agreement and a newer, bigger golf entity. The agreement was initially due at the end of 2023 but has been indefinitely postponed.
Dustin Johnson, wife Paulina Gretzky open up about receiving death threats after switching to LIV Golf
Johnson and his wife Paulina Gretzky recalled that they began receiving hate mail and death threats when the former first joined LIV Golf. Speaking on the second season of Full Swing, Gretzky recalled:
“People sending death threats and awful, awful, awful things. People were aggressive that’s for sure. But that’s when I shut it down for a little bit. I was like I don’t need to look at this. Everyone has an opinion on it. Fine.”
Dustin Johnson is the captain of the 4Aces GC in LIV Golf. With his team, he has won the 2024 Las Vegas, 2023 Tulsa, and 2022 Boston events. Before LIV, Dustin Johnson was also the 2016 US Open winner and the 2020 Masters winner.
Currently in the middle of his third season, he has already won an individual event. Aside from standing second on the individual leaderboard, his team is sixth on the team leaderboard.