Dustin Johnson isn’t leaving the PGA Tour.
The world No. 6 and two-time major champion released a statement Sunday through the PGA Tour stating he is fully committed to the PGA Tour. For nearly a year, Johnson, who counts 24 PGA Tour titles on his resume, has been rumored to be one of the top players who would join a potential Saudi Arabia-back Super Golf League that would pay enormous amounts of guaranteed money, siphon off some of the game’s biggest names and be a direct rival with the PGA Tour.
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Speculation of Johnson joining the league has been fueled in part by his playing in the Saudi International the past four years; he won in 2019 and 2021.
“Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of speculation about an alternative tour; much of which seems to have included me and my future in professional golf,” Johnson said. “I feel it is now time to put such speculation to rest. I am fully-committed to the PGA Tour. I am grateful for the opportunity to play the best tour in the world and for all it has provided me and my family.”
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Statement on behalf of Dustin Johnson pic.twitter.com/731B4SmyQv
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 20, 2022
Talk of the league has dominated the conversation at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club this week. Johnson, who has 10 top-10s at Riv, including victory in 2017, missed the cut on Friday.
Comments by World Golf Hall of Fame member and reigning PGA champion Phil Mickelson ignited the talk. In a report by Alan Shipnuck of the Firepit Collective and the author of the soon-to-be-released book, “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar,” Mickelson told Shipnuck that he was one of the architects behind the proposed league.
Mickelson also added, per the report, that he hoped to use the Saudi-backed league as leverage against the PGA Tour.
The PGA Tour has responded by increasing purses, upping the FedEx Cup bonus money to $75 million, and creating additional programs that will dole out $60 million. All told, the PGA Tour will pay out more than $800 million to players this year.
Naturally, players at Riviera were asked about the league. Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Viktor Hovland all said their allegiance is to the PGA Tour.
Johnson weighed in on Sunday.
“While there will always be areas where our Tour can improve and evolve, I am thankful for our leadership and the many sponsors who make the PGA Tour golf’s premier tour,” he said.
