Dustin Johnson, a two-time major champion, has been awarded $18 million for winning the inaugural LIV Golf individual title, according to a Monday announcement by the tour’s organizers.
In the first six events of the Saudi-backed series, the American has finished in the top 10 five times, including a spectacular victory at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston.
Johnson (38) finished 16th at the Bangkok tournament, which concluded on Sunday, and now holds an unassailable lead in the individual standings with one event remaining in the regular season.
Branden Grace of South Africa ranks second in the individual rankings, 42 points behind the former world number one.
“Winning the individual contest is crucial,” stated Johnson. “It is an honor to be the first individual season champion in LIV history.”
Greg Norman, LIV Golf’s chief executive officer and a former world No. 1, stated, “Dustin Johnson’s name is indispensable to the first chapter of LIV Golf’s history.
“By any metric, DJ is among the world’s elite players. From the beginning, he has been a pillar of LIV Golf. He has more than lived up to his reputation and deserves a great deal of credit for securing LIV’s first individual season championship.”
LIV Golf has drawn some of golf’s top names, including Johnson, Open champion Cameron Smith, and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson.
However, this has resulted in major divisions within the sport, with no global ranking points available for the rebels.
The exclusion of LIV golfers from the US PGA Tour precludes American players from qualifying for the 2023 Ryder Cup.
European stars who left for LIV, such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, and Sergio Garcia, have all fallen in the world rankings and are unlikely to make Luke Donald’s team for the biennial competition held near Rome.