Johnson to skip RBC Canadian Open to play in rival golf series

TSN Senior Reporter

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Dustin Johnson won’t be playing the RBC Canadian Open in Toronto next week. Instead, he’ll be headlining the first LIV Golf Series event in London, England.

Johnson, who is sponsored by RBC, was one of 42 players named in the field for the first tournament in the upstart golf series that is being backed by funds from the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Saudi Arabia. The tournament will start June 9th, the same day as the first round of the RBC Canadian Open.

RBC and Golf Canada were reportedly taken by surprise at the defection of Johnson, who has been a part of the tournament’s promotional material. The financial institution issued a statement that left little doubt about its displeasure.

“RBC is a proud partner of the PGA Tour. Our partnership is anchored with two world-class golf tournaments – the RBC Heritage and the RBC Canadian Open. The PGA Tour has been clear about its intentions in accordance with its tournament regulations should a golfer choose to play in a tournament outside the tour, including the LIV Golf Invitational Series.

“We were recently made aware that Dustin Johnson made the decision to play the LIV Golf Invitational Series opener. DJ has been a valued RBC team member since 2018. While we are extremely disappointed in his decisions, we wish him well.”

Johnson, currently ranked 13th in the world, was the biggest surprise on the list of players confirmed. Earlier this year, he made a statement supporting the PGA Tour and pledging his allegiance to the organization.

In a Tweet posted by Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard, Johnson’s agent explained the change of heart. "Dustin has been contemplating the opportunity off-and-on for the past couple of years. Ultimately, he decided it