The second-ranked golfer, Cameron Smith, has joined the LIV Golf league in Saudi Arabia. Smith's departure from the PGA Tour following his victory at the 2022 Open Championship in Scotland was revealed by LIV on Tuesday.
He will be joined by five other LIV rookies this weekend in Boston. The two-time Masters champion will participate in live broadcast while acting as a non-playing captain.
The highest-ranked PGA Tour defector is 29-year-old Smith. Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson were drawn to LIV by the enormous prize money.
Regarding Smith's pay, the league declined to comment. Smith told Golf Digest that money "was absolutely a factor." The Telegraph reports that the sale is worth about $100 million.
Last week, the PGA Tour made the announcement that it would expand its schedule of major competitions and increase prize money for competitors.
The No. 19 golfer in the world, Joaquin Niemann, is travelling, along with Harold Varner III, Cameron Tringale, Marc Leishman, and Anirban Lahiri.