On the one hand, the traditionalists like Rory McIlroy, Sunday's winner of the Canada Open counting for the PGA Tour and moved up to 3rd place in the world on Monday, behind Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm, or Justin Thomas, another ex-N.1 global.

On the other, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson, but also Sergio Garcia and soon Patrick Reed and Bryson Dechambeau, all Major winners, who gave in to the siren songs of the wealthy LIV Golf financed by Saudi funds.

This is the biggest crisis since the creation of the PGA Tour, the North American professional circuit where the world's best play, in 1968.

They were 17 players from the PGA Tour in London last week for the first round of LIV Golf, richly endowed (23 M EUR) and won by the South African Charl Schwartzel, 126th in the world, who left with a check for 4 million dollars (EUR 3.82 million).

They are all banned from the PGA Tour, until further notice, but all allowed to participate in the US Open this week, in the lands of America's historic victory over Europe, in the 1999 Ryder Cup.

"I worked hard"

Because the Majors are something else and they will perhaps remain the only tournaments where all the golf cadors meet four times a year.

"I've worked hard to earn a lifetime membership (on the PGA Tour), throughout my 30+ year professional career. So I believe I should be able to choose the path I want, one or the other. 'other or both', defended Mickelson on Monday, from the top of his six Major victories, the last at the 2021 Masters, at 50.

Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy trains on the Brookline course two days before the start of the US Open on June 14, 2022 in Brookline, Massachusetts Andrew Redington GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The stakes are clear, on the one hand younger players, who want to exist in the world ranking, on the other experienced players who want to win more, play only three rounds of golf instead of four and not be eliminated. Friday night.

Dustin Johnson would have received a 150 million dollar bonus to join LIV Golf, he has not denied.

If he does not join the European circuit DP World Tour and is not excluded from the four Majors, he will play, including the eight rounds of LIV Golf, only 12 weeks out of 52 this year.

Jordan Spieth exiting the bunker on hole N.2 during training on the Brookline course, theater of the US Open, on June 14, 2022 in Brookline (Massachusetts) ROSS KINNAIRD GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Tiger Woods resting

"It's a fracture, it makes me sad," reacted Justin Thomas, winner last month of the PGA Championship and 5th player in the world.

"I slept very badly last week thinking about everything that could happen, especially if there are others who leave. I want to continue playing against the best in the world," he said. added.

Phil Mickelson, member of the dissident LIV Golf, in training on the course of Brookline before the US Open, June 14, 2022 in Brookline (Massachusetts) Warren Little GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Same speech from the Spaniard Jon Rahm, world No.2 and winner of the US Open 2021, with a small spade towards the dissidents: "With everything I have won, I could take my retire and lead a very happy life, I play because I love my sport and I want to play against the best players on the planet".

This will be the case this weekend at Brookline as the game will resume its rights while waiting for the British Open at St Andrews in July.

There will however be a notable absentee, the former world No.1 Tiger Woods who preferred to rest his right leg which he almost lost in a road accident in 2021, in the hope of shining next month on the land of the inventors of golf.

In the meantime, this US Open promises a lot with the world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, winner of the last Masters, who impresses this year, and McIlroy, finally back to his best level, after a long crossing of the desert, enamelled with doubts and putts. misfires.

Scottie Scheffler, one of the big favorites, at a press conference two days before the start of the US Open on June 14, 2022 in Brookline (Massachusetts) Patrick Smith GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

For four days, we may talk less about schism and LIV Golf...

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