The PGA Tour, in a Thursday launch, mentioned it has taken motion in opposition to a number of golfers who introduced their intention to hitch a rival, LIV Golf, which shortly shot again with an announcement of its personal.

On Thursday morning, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan launched an announcement saying that it suspended 17 gamers, together with Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

The PGA Tour talked about that the golfers violated event laws, selecting to take part within the first LIV Golf occasion with out first acquiring "the correct conflicting occasion and media rights launch."

"In accordance with the PGA TOUR's Event Laws, the gamers competing this week with out releases are suspended or in any other case now not eligible to take part in PGA TOUR event play, together with the Presidents Cup. This additionally applies to all excursions sanctioned by the PGA TOUR: the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Champions, PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Latinoamérica," the assertion reads.

PGA Tour and LIV Golf released statements
The PGA Tour introduced the suspension of 17 golfers Thursday and LIV Golf responded with an announcement of its personal. Above, Brandt Snedeker performs within the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive Nation Membership on August 6, 2018, in St. Louis, Missouri. Stuart Franklin/Getty Photos

Monahan additionally issued a warning to others on the PGA Tour who would possibly do one thing related: "The identical destiny holds true for some other gamers who take part in future Saudi Golf League occasions in violation of our Laws."

In response, LIV Golf posted an announcement on social media calling the transfer "vindictive" and mentioned it "deepens the divide between the Tour and its members."

The assertion added that "it is troubling that the Tour, a corporation devoted to creating alternatives for golfers to play the sport, is the entity blocking golfers from taking part in." The assertion concluded by saying that this "actually will not be the final phrase on this subject" and that "the period of free company is starting."

On its web site, LIV Golf describes itself as trying to "modernize and supercharge the sport of professional golf by means of expanded alternatives for each gamers and followers alike." The brand new entity has been deemed controversial as a result of it's backed by the Saudi Arabian authorities.

Along with Mickelson and Johnson, the listing of others "suspended or in any other case now not eligible for PGA TOUR event play" contains Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Kevin Na, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel.

The PGA Tour added that of the 17 suspended, 10 have resigned their membership.

Earlier this month, Johnson, the 2020 Masters champion, introduced that he was resigning from the Tour as a result of he determined to hitch LIV Golf.

The PGA Tour instructed Newsweek that the "memo speaks for itself" and that "we do not have something extra so as to add right now."

Newsweek reached out to LIV Golf for remark.