LIV Golf LIVE: Leaderboard and Day 2 scores as Bryson DeChambeau joins rebel tour

Day two of the inaugural Saudi-backed LIV Golf event begins today amid the continuing war of words between the PGA Tour and the controversial breakaway series. After months of speculation, the opening tournament got underway yesterday at Centurion Club in St Albans but was met by confirmation from the PGA Tour that rebel players who participate in the event have been suspended with immediate effect.

The stunning news further entrenched both sides in the battle that threatens to change the sport as we know it and was welcomed by players such as Rory McIlroy, who has remained committed to the PGA. It came as Ian Poulter, one of the 17 golfers sanctioned by the PGA Tour, stated his intention to appeal the suspension. “It makes no sense,” Poulter said. “I didn’t resign my membership because I don’t feel I have done anything wrong. I have played all over the world for 25 years. This is no different ... it’s a power struggle and it’s just disappointing.”

Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia are among other big names competing in the inaugural event. On the course, the scoring was led by the former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel after an opening round of 65. Follow all the action from the inaugural event of the controversial tour, below:

LIV Golf live updates

• LIV Golf: Day 1 leaderboard

• Ostlere: Mickelson draws a crowd as controversial LIV Golf swings into town

• Delaney: Will football ever have its own LIV Golf? It’s already here

• Poulter to appeal against PGA Tour ban of LIV Golf players

• Bryson DeChambeau becomes latest to join rebel tour

Greg Norman on Bryson DeChambeau signing with LIV Golf

16:07 , Jack Rathborn

Greg Norman on Bryson DeChambeau signing with LIV Golf: “He’s not afraid to think outside the box and supports our mission of doing things differently to grow our game.

“The power and energy he brings to the course will deliver added electricity to our competition in Portland and beyond.”

Official: Bryson DeChambeau joins LIV Golf

16:04 , Jack Rathborn

Bryson DeChambeau to LIV Golf is now official.

Greg Norman: “Bryson DeChambeau is an exciting addition to LIV Golf’s supercharged style of play. He is passionate about the sport, innovative in his approach and committed to pushing the boundaries in pursuit of excellence.”

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

16:00 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:57 , Jack Rathborn

Dustin Johnson, +2 today and +1 for the tournament, with a beautiful shot there to set up a birdie opportunity.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:51 , Jack Rathborn

Du Plessis' par putt lips out, that's costly, it takes him back to -3. It means Schwartzel's lead is now three, with Bekker and Uihlein four behind at -2.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:37 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:33 , Jack Rathborn

Birdie for Schwartzel, who moves to -6, he’s two clear of Du Plessis now.

Stinger are -10 and have a five-shot lead over Poulter's Majesticks.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:23 , Jack Rathborn

Schwartzel is back out in front on his own, the South African is at -5, one clear of Du Plessis.

Grace and Bekker three behind at -2.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:05 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

15:00 , Jack Rathborn

Dustin Johnson slips back to +1.

Vincent with a costly double bogey, now E for the tournament.

Schwartzel and Du Plessis at -4 and Grace at -2, which means the top three is made up entirely of Stinger members.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:54 , Jack Rathborn

Schwartzel and Du Plessis, both of, lead at -4, then there's Vincent, Grace and Kongwatmai two back on -2.

Mickelson and Johnson at even par and four back.

Gorgeous shot from Du Plessis, back spin takes him to 10 feet for birdie, which will hand him the outright lead.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:47 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2 - Team Leaderboard

14:44 , Jack Rathborn

• Stinger -10

• Crushers -4

• Hy Flyers -4

• 4 Aces -3

• Majesticks -3

• Fireballs E

• Smash E

• Cleeks +1

• Torque +1

• Iron Heads +1

• Punch +3

• Niblicks +6

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:37 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:32 , Jack Rathborn

Poulter registeres his first birdie of the round, a dreadful day yesterday and he's starting to edge back into this.

A bogey for Vincent on the first, he falls back to -2, but he remains two off the lead after Schwartzel falls back to -4, so a poor start for the leaders.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:29 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:25 , Jack Rathborn

Scott Vincent, currently two back and on -3, with a vicious hook from the pinestraw on the first, he can't find the dance floor though.

Oosthuizen with a gorgeous approach to the 8th, he’ll have a birdie in all likelihood to move to just +1.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:23 , Jack Rathborn

Schwartzel, the overnight leader, from the fairway. He's half a club short and his ball dribbles into the bunker.

Mickelson, meanwhile, sets up a good birdie opportunity and could move to -2 and three off the lead.

LIV Golf Invitational London: Round 2

14:18 , Jack Rathborn

DJ with a bullet on the third to find the first fringe.

Shotgun start, so expect plenty of movement immediately.

LIV Golf - Day 2 at Centurion Club

14:11 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf - Day 2 at Centurion Club

14:01 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf - Day 2 at Centurion Club

13:56 , Jack Rathborn

LIV Golf: Was the opening day a success on the course?

13:55 , Jack Rathborn

Fears of poor ticket sales, which had seen players offering free tickets on social media, proved unfounded, although tournament officials would not say how close they had come to achieving their maximum of 8,000. Viewing figures on YouTube consistently hovered between 90,000 and 100,000 and the broadcast suffered no major blunders.

Q&A: Key talking points as controversial LIV Golf Invitational Series begins

13:29 , Jack Rathborn

The first LIV Golf Invitational Series event got under way at Centurion Club on Thursday, with six-time major winner Phil Mickelson the star attraction.

However, just 30 minutes after play started, the PGA Tour announced it was suspending the 17 players in the field who were taking part despite having been refused permission.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the latest developments and what could happen next in the divisive saga.

Q&A: Key talking points as controversial LIV Golf Invitational Series begins

Absence of Tiger Woods means Phil Mickelson can take advantage in search of Grand Slam

13:20 , Jack Rathborn

Another major, another chance for one player to make history by winning the US Open to complete a career grand slam.

The attempts of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth to join golf’s most exclusive club, at the Masters and US PGA respectively, were somewhat overshadowed by the presence of Tiger Woods – but that will not be the case at Brookline.

Woods withdrew from the year’s third major in order to give his battered body more time to heal for the final one, the 150th Open Championship on the Old Course at St Andrews, site of two of his three Open triumphs.

It was the right decision considering the way he struggled through a third round of 79 in the US PGA at Southern Hills, his highest ever score in the event, but leaves the way clear for his former rival, a certain Philip Alfred Mickelson, to take centre stage for the second week running.

Mickelson ended his exile from the game by accepting a reported US 200 million (£159.5m) to compete in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series, starting with the opener at Centurion Club in Hertfordshire.

Absence of Woods means Mickelson can take advantage in search of career Grand Slam

Fanfare and fighter jets as controversial LIV Golf launches amid PGA Tour bans

13:10 , Jack Rathborn

In the words of Ron Burgundy after the fight scene in the first Anchorman film: “Boy, that escalated quickly.”

Precisely 30 minutes after the first shots in the opening LIV Golf Invitational Series event were struck, following an actual trumpet fanfare no less, the PGA Tour responded by banning the 17 players in the field who were playing despite having been denied permission.

Among them were six-time major winner and lifetime member Phil Mickelson, former world number one Dustin Johnson and European stars Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell, with all but Mickelson having resigned from the Tour already.

Fanfare and fighter jets as controversial LIV Golf launches amid PGA Tour bans

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick one stroke off lead at Canadian Open

13:04 , Jack Rathborn

Matt Fitzpatrick closed the first day of the RBC Canadian Open one stroke behind leader Wyndham Clark, while defending champion Rory McIlroy was tied for fifth.

Clark opened with a run of five birdies in nine holes and ended the day bogey-free on 63, while Fitzpatrick started and finished with birdies to follow closely behind.

It was three years to the day since Northern Ireland’s McIlroy lifted the trophy, with the pandemic cancelling the last two years of the championship.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick one stroke off lead at Canadian Open

Ostlere: Mickelson draws a crowd as controversial LIV Golf swings into town

12:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Phil Mickelson was cheered on to the first tee at Centurion, and he smiled. Maybe his smile betrayed some relief at a reputation seemingly intact among fans despite a damaging few months. Maybe there was some pleasure too, at finally returning to competitive golf after a self-imposed hiatus. Or perhaps it was just the smile of a man who had pocketed $200m for turning up.

Whatever it was, Mickelson was the star attraction as the richest tournament in golf got underway with an aerial show of vintage aircraft and trumpeters with bearskin hats, while players were transported to their tees in London cabs. This may be Saudi Arabia’s latest controversial foray into the world of sport, but the product was sold with an odd splattering of British culture in the Hertfordshire countryside.

The Independent’s Lawrence Ostlere reports from Centurion Club

Phil Mickelson draws a crowd as Saudi’s controversial LIV Golf swings into town

Delaney: Will football ever have its own LIV Golf? It’s already here

12:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Given the number of football people that are still obsessed with golf, many have naturally been messaging friends on the tour about the LIV controversy. The responses have been as varied as they have been predictable. Some are aghast at golf’s august institutions being ravaged, some think it’s fair enough to take the money. A core of the game’s officials fear something similar again for football, others are sensing more opportunity.

Many are describing it as “golf’s European Super League moment”, and it is why the threat of that project is still so pertinent. Its next steps will dictate the future of the game, and decide whether anything even worse – such as LIV Soccer – is yet possible in football.

The Independent’s chief football writer Miguel Delaney examines golf’s power struggle and how it could foreshadow a similar battle in European football...

Will football ever have its own LIV Golf? It’s already here

Players back PGA Tour decision to suspend LIV Golf players

12:15 , Jamie Braidwood

McIlroy: “All he (PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan) is doing is basically going by the book. I think that the majority of the membership that are here this week and that haven’t went and played elsewhere really appreciate that.

“So I think he’s done the right thing because these guys have broken rules and done things outside of the tournament regulations, and because of that, there are going to be consequences, I guess.”

“I’m pleased,” Thomas added. “I think anybody that’s shocked clearly hasn’t been listening to the message that Jay and everybody’s been putting out. They took that risk going into it, whether they thought it was a risk or not.

“Like I’ve said the whole time, I have great belief and great confidence in the PGA Tour and where we’re going and continuing to grow to, and those guys just aren’t going to be a part of it.”

Players back PGA Tour decision to suspend LIV Golf players

12:00 , Jamie Braidwood

Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy have welcomed the PGA Tour’s decision to suspend players competing in the LIV Golf Invitational Series, a move branded “vindictive” by the Saudi-backed breakaway.

Within minutes of the first shots being struck in the £20million event – the most lucrative golf tournament in history – the PGA Tour sent a memo to all members informing them that 17 players competing at Centurion, despite being refused permission, were being suspended.

The list included six-time major winner Phil Mickelson, who holds Lifetime Membership of the PGA Tour, former world number one Dustin Johnson and European stars Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell and Lee Westwood.

All but Mickelson had already resigned from the Tour and those players will be removed from the FedEx Cup points list following the end of the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday.

Crucially, they will also not be allowed to exploit a potential loophole and play PGA Tour events as a non-member via sponsor’s exemptions.

PGA Tour decision to suspend players competing in LIV Golf gets show of support

Poulter to appeal against PGA Tour ban of LIV Golf players

11:45 , Jamie Braidwood

Ian Poulter will appeal his suspension from the PGA Tour for playing in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The breakaway circuit has shaken the sport to its core, with the likes of six-times major champion Phil Mickelson and former world number one Dustin Johnson signing up.

Poulter was among 17 golfers sanctioned by the Tour shortly after play got underway at LIV Golf’s inaugural event outside London on Thursday.

“I will appeal for sure. It makes no sense,” the former world number five said after carding a five-over 75 in the opening round at Centurion Club.

“Having two Tour cards and the ability to play golf all over the world, what’s wrong with that?

“I didn’t resign my membership because I don’t feel I have done anything wrong. I have played all over the world for 25 years. This is no different ... it’s a power struggle and it’s just disappointing.”

Ian Poulter to appeal against PGA Tour ban of LIV Golf players

LIV Golf: What is the prize fund?

11:30 , Jamie Braidwood

Each regular season event will have a prize fund of $25m - every player in the field receives a cut, with a guaranteed $4m for first and $120,000 for last place. Of the $25m, $5m will be split between the top three teams.

The top three players in the overall individual championship will receive a split of $30m, with the overall champion taking $18m, the runner-up receiving $8m and third place getting $4m.

The season-ending team championship has a prize fund of $50m, with the winning team splitting $16m and the team who finishes last receiving $1m. Each player receives a 25 per cent cut.

For comparison, the winner of the PGA Championship, one of golf’s four majors, receives $3m out of a total prize fund of $15m.

LIV Golf: How will the season work?

11:20 , Jamie Braidwood

The LIV Golf London event at Centurion Club is the first of seven ‘regular season’ events to take place in its inaugural year, with the season-ending team championship closing the year as the final event of the season.

The team championship will see all 12 teams seeded and a four-day knockout tournament will be played using match play scoring to determine the winner, with a championship match taking place on the final day.

An individual champion will also be crowned using points accumulated over the seven ‘regular season’ events.

• LIV Golf London, Centurion Club - June 9-11

• LIV Golf Portland, Pumpkin Ridge - June 30 - July 2

• LIV Golf Bedminster, Trump National - July 29-31

• LIV Golf Boston, Greater Boston - September 2-4

• LIV Golf Chicago, Rich Harvest Farms - September 16-18

• LIV Golf Bangkok, Stonehill - October 7-9

• LIV Golf Jeddah, Royal Greens - October 14-16

• LIV Golf Miami, Trump National Doral - October 27-30

LIV Golf: When does it start and is it on TV?

11:10 , Jamie Braidwood

The second round kicks off with a shotgun start at 2:15pm on Thursday 10 June.

LIV Golf has yet to be picked up by a major broadcaster in the UK.

However, the action will be live streamed for free on the LIV Golf YouTube channel and Facebook page.

What is LIV Golf?

11:05 , Jamie Braidwood

Reports of a new breakaway league first emerged in 2019 but gathered pace last year as two-time Open champion Greg Norman became the face of the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series as its chief executive.

With Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund financing the series, there is a clear link to the Saudi Arabia government, whose record on human rights has been criticised by groups such as Amnesty International.

But what for a long time was considered to be a bargaining threat to the traditional PGA and DP World Tours and nothing more took shape as the LIV Golf Series, which also features new competition rules and what tournament organisers say is an “exciting” new format.

What are the rules?

LIV Golf Series events will be played over three days and 54 holes, rather than the traditional four-day events with 72 holes. There won’t be a cut, either, so the 48 players who start the week will play all three rounds.

There will also be individual and team competitions within the same event. The individual competition will be won by the player who shoots the lowest score over 54 holes, as normal.

The team competition, however, will be made up of 12 teams of four players, with team captains selecting the teams using a ‘snake draft’ ahead of the opening event at Centurion Club. Teams will also have their own unique names and logos.

In terms of scoring, the best two individual scores will count towards the team’s overall total across the opening two rounds, with the best three scores combining on the third and final round. The team with the lowest overall score at the end of the third round will be the winner.

LIV Golf

11:00 , Jamie Braidwood

-5

Charl Schwartzel

-4

Henne Du Plessis

-3

Scott Vincent, Phachara Khongwatmai

-2

Justin Harding, Branden Grace

-1

Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Sam Horsfield, Laurie Canter

Selected others: Sergio Garcia (+1), Graeme McDowell (+4), Lee Westwood (+5), Ian Poulter (+5)

Ian Poulter vows to fight PGA Tour suspension

10:57 , Lawrence Ostlere

It came as Ian Poulter, one of the 17 golfers sanctioned by the PGA Tour, stated his intention to appeal the suspension.

“It makes no sense,” Poulter said. “I didn’t resign my membership because I don’t feel I have done anything wrong. I have played all over the world for 25 years. This is no different ... it’s a power struggle and it’s just disappointing.”

PGA Tour bans LIV Golf rebels

10:53 , Lawrence Ostlere

What a day yesterday. Firstly came the news that The PGA Tour had banned LIV Golf rebels:

The PGA Tour has contacted all PGA Tour members informing them that all participants on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, both in Thursday’s opening competition and in future, are suspended immediately.

Tour commissioner Jay Monahan sent out an email deriding those who had “decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully violating a regulation”, with the likes of Phil Mickelson involved in the inaugural event outside London on Thursday and Bryson DeChambeau among those confirmed to take part next time out.

The suspensions also apply to players on other PGA Tours including the Champions, Canada, Latinoamerica and Korn Ferry Tours.

PGA Tour suspend LIV Golf players with immediate effect

10:41 , Lawrence Ostlere

Welcome along to live coverage of day two from Centurion Club, as LIV Golf continues.