Dustin Johnson has no plans to retire from the PGA Tour.
The world No. 6 and two-time major champion issued a statement through the PGA Tour on Sunday confirming his commitment to the tour. Johnson, who has won 24 PGA Tour titles, has been rumored to be one of the top players interested in joining a potential Saudi Arabia-backed Super Golf League that would pay out massive amounts of guaranteed money, siphon off some of the game’s biggest names, and be a direct competitor to the PGA Tour for nearly a year.
Johnson’s participation in the Saudi International for the past four years has fanned speculation that he will join the league; he won in 2019 and 2021.
“There has been a lot of conjecture about an alternative circuit over the last few months, and a lot of it seems to have included me and my future in professional golf,” Johnson said. “I believe it is past time to put such rumors to rest. I am completely dedicated to the PGA Tour. I am grateful for the opportunity to perform on the biggest tour in the world, as well as everything it has given my family.”
Statement on behalf of Dustin Johnson pic.twitter.com/731B4SmyQv
— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) February 20, 2022
The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club has been overshadowed by talk of the league this week. Johnson, who has ten top-10 finishes at Riv, including a win in 2017, was unable to make the cut on Friday.
Phil Mickelson, the reigning PGA champion and a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, sparked the conversation. Mickelson told Alan Shipnuck of the Firepit Collective, author of the soon-to-be-released book “Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar,” that he was one of the architects behind the proposed league and explained how he hoped to use it as leverage over the Tour despite the Saudis being “scary motherf—–s,” in a report.
The PGA Tour has responded by raising the official prize pool to $427 million, boosting the FedEx Cup bonus pool to $75 million, and launching new programs that will award millions more. This season, the PGA Tour will pay out more than $838 million in total compensation to its players.
Players at Riviera were naturally quizzed about the league. Tiger Woods, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Colleen Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, and Viktor Hovland have all stated that the PGA Tour is their home.
On Sunday, Johnson added his two cents.
“While there are always areas where our Tour can develop and evolve,” he stated, “I am grateful for our leadership and the many sponsors who help make the PGA Tour golf’s premier tour.”
