The controversial LIV Golf Tour debuts in the United States this week at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon.
Locals have criticized hosting the second tournament of the newly-formed golf tour that has created division amongst PGA Tour golfers.
Tickets to the event prohibit the display of political signs, but Oregon officials are afraid this event will bring protests to the quiet 3,400-person town.
Here is everything you need to know prior to the second LIV tournament, including when the competition starts, who is participating, as well as why the location is so controversial.
When is the LIV golf event?
The second tournament in the LIV Golf Invitational Series will take place on Thursday, June 30 and run until Saturday, July 2. This will be known as the first LIV Golf Invitational Portland.
Round 1 will take place on Thursday, June 30 at 4 p.m. ET.
Golf
Round 2 will take place on Friday, July 1 at 4 p.m. ET.
Round 3 will take place on Saturday, July 2 at 4 p.m. ET.
Where is the LIV golf event?
This week’s event will be held at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon, approximately 20 miles west of Portland.
Two carefully constructed golf courses, designed by renowned golf course architect Bob Cupp, will be the setting for Oregon’s kickoff event.
Where to stream the LIV Pumpkin Ridge event
The only way to watch this week’s LIV event is online.
Free streams will be available on LIVGolf.com, YouTube and Facebook.
Which golfers are playing in the LIV golf event this weekend?
There will be 48 golfers dispersed into 12 groupings at the Pumpkin Ridge event. The teams have not yet been selected but the captains have.
Here are some of the golfers competing in the 2022 LIV Golf Portland event:
- Dustin Johnson - United States
- Brooks Koepka - United States
- Abraham Ancer - Mexico
- Louis Oosthuizen - South Africa
- Bryson DeChambeau - United States
- Kevin Na - United States
- Patrick Reed - United States
- Talor Gooch - United States
- Sergio Garcia - Spain
- Richard Bland - England
- Phil Mickelson - United States
What are Oregon residents saying about the tournament?
Residents are very unhappy about Pumpkin Ridge hosting the competition. So much so, that many members of the private course have left the club since the tournament is being held there.
Not to mention, the opinions of Oregon officials, including Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden and North Plains mayor Teri Lenahan. The two have concerns and have been speaking out about the tournament as a result of Saudi Arabia’s human rights abuses.
“It's wrong to be silent when Saudi Arabia tries to cleanse blood-stained hands, in the fight for Oregonians to get justice -- Fallon Smart was killed very close to our house in Southeast Portland, and the person charged with the crime, a hit-and-run death, was, based on all the evidence, whisked out of the country by the Saudis before he stood for trial,” said Wyden in an interview with The Associated Press.
In addition to the hit-and-run death of Smart in 2016, Oregon residents also recollect the the murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as Oregon college student Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah, who was wrongfully assisted by the Saudi Arabian government.
A letter signed by Mayor Lenahan and 10 other mayors from surrounding cities expressed: “We oppose this event because it is being sponsored by a repressive government whose human rights abuses are documented. We refuse to support these abuses by complicitly allowing the Saudi-backed organization to play in our backyard.”
What happened at the last LIV golf event?
The last LIV golf event occurred in London earlier in June. Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, took home the title and was crowned the first victor of the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series.
When is next the LIV golf tournament?
The next event in the LIV Golf Invitational Series will take place at the Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in Bedminster, N.J. The competition will be held from Friday, July 29 to Sunday, July 31.