Phil Mickelson could be one of the lead names to tee it up in the inaugural Liv Golf Invitational Series, the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway tour, after he requested a release to play in its opening event in June.
The six-time major winner, the reigning PGA champion, has not competed since taking an indefinite break from professional golf following the publication in February of controversial comments made about the PGA Tour and Saudi.
In a statement released late on Monday, Mickelson’s management confirmed their client had sought approval to compete in the June 9-11 event, the Liv Golf Invitational at Centurion Golf Club outside London, which kickstarts the new tour.
"Our client Phil Mickelson is officially registered to play in the PGA Championship as well as the US Open," Steve Loy, co-president of Sportfive management, said in the statement. "We have also filed a request on his behalf for a release to play in the first Liv Golf Invitational in London, June 9-11. This request complies with the deadline of April 25 set forth by the PGA Tour to compete in a conflicting tour event.
"Phil currently has no concrete plans on when and where he will play. Any actions taken are in no way a reflection of a final decision made, but rather to keep all options open."
Having last year become the oldest major winner with victory at the US PGA Championship aged 50, Mickelson may return to defend his crown next month at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma, from May 19-22. The US Open falls the week after the Liv opener, at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
PGA Tour members wishing to contest the Liv Golf Invitational had to apply for a release from the circuit by the beginning of this week. The money-spinning series, which is spearheaded by Greg Norman and has caused a stir throughout the pro game, will offer a $25 million purse per tournament – there are eight events scheduled through until the finale in October – making each more lucrative than any stop on the PGA Tour.
On Monday, the Sports Illustrated website reported that 70 players, as of yet unnamed, have committed to play at Centurion, including 15 of the top 100 in the world rankings. The UK's Daily Telegraph then reported Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood - all European Ryder Cup stalwarts - were considering participating in the June event.
Mickelson’s involvement in the new series would represent a major boost to the fledgling tour. In his comments made public in February, the three-time Masters champion said he had helped support organisers of a Saudi-backed tour, while also using it to gain leverage and force change on the PGA Tour. Mickelson later apologised for the comments, which included accusing the tour of “obnoxious greed”.
Meanwhile, the Liv Golf Invitational Series announced on Monday that it will stage its season-ending Team Championship at Trump National Doral in Miami. The tournament, featuring 12 teams and coming two weeks after the penultimate event in Saudi Arabia, will offer a $50 million purse, with $16m going to the winning side.
THE BIG THREE
NOVAK DJOKOVIC
19 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 5 (2011, 14, 15, 18, 19)
French Open: 2 (2016, 21)
US Open: 3 (2011, 15, 18)
Australian Open: 9 (2008, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21)
Prize money: $150m
ROGER FEDERER
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 8 (2003, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 12, 17)
French Open: 1 (2009)
US Open: 5 (2004, 05, 06, 07, 08)
Australian Open: 6 (2004, 06, 07, 10, 17, 18)
Prize money: $130m
RAFAEL NADAL
20 grand slam singles titles
Wimbledon: 2 (2008, 10)
French Open: 13 (2005, 06, 07, 08, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20)
US Open: 4 (2010, 13, 17, 19)
Australian Open: 1 (2009)
Prize money: $125m
THREE
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
25%20Days%20to%20Aden
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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule
1st Test July 26-30 in Galle
2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo
3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
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