Golf: PGA Tour bans LIV Series rebels as they tee off for opening event

Phil Mickelson is one of several stars at the back end of their careers who have joined the LIV Series. Photo / AP

The PGA Tour has banned members who are competing in the Saudi rebel circuit's opening event, timing the email sent out to all the players to coincide with their opening tee shots at the Centurion Club.

While the LIV Golf Series was busy billing the shotgun start at 2.15pm as a milestone in the game's history, then Jay Monahan's decisive action across the Atlantic can also be viewed as a seminal moment in this saga.

It has dragged on for more than two years but at last the event has begun and finally the rebels know the price they will pay. The balls were in the air and the bans were in the inboxes.

"Simultaneously to you receiving this memo, the players listed below [in a list containing Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and all the PGA Tour members playing here this week] have been told that they are suspended or are no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play," Monahan wrote.

"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reasons. But they can't demand the same PGA Tour membership benefits, considerations, opportunities and platform as you. The expectation disrespects you, our fans and our partners.

"We have followed the tournament regulations from start to finish in responding to those players who have decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully violating a regulation."

However, there was no mention of a "lifetime ban", with Monahan promising the membership that the Tour "will deal with these questions".

But Monahan did announce that even if players have resigned from the Tour - nine of this 48-man field have - they will not be allowed to play PGA Tour events as a non-member via sponsor invites. The Tour has sought to block every avenue; presumably with the backing of their sponsors.

LIV was quick to respond. "Today's announcement by the PGA Tour is vindictive and it deepens the divide between the Tour and its members," a statement said. "It's troubling that the Tour, an organisation dedicated to creating opportunities for golfers to play the game, is the entity blocking golfers from playing.

"This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London, and beyond."

Telegraph Sport exclusively revealed that Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed have signed up in multi-million deals, joining Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen.

DeChambeau and Reed will make their LIV debuts in the second $25million event - in Portland, Oregon in three weeks' time - and by then there will be more big names on the breakaway roster, who may include Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson and Matthew Wollf.

It is also believed that Greg Norman, the LIV chief executive, has two world top 10 players in the pipeline, who, if confirmed, will be the first of that elite group to take the Saudi shilling and also be banned from the game's biggest circuit.