LIV Golf: How to watch on TV, schedule details and the players involved

Charl Schwartzel of South Africa shot a 5-under-par 65 on Thursday to become the first ever opening-round leader of a LIV Golf Invitational Series event, although it was the controversial tour itself that pushed itself further under the microscope.

Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, leads by one stroke over fellow South African and "Stinger GC" teammate Hennie du Plessis at London. Tied for third were Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand at 3-under 67.

The Saudi-financed golf league is seen as a rival to the PGA Tour and has garnered criticism for attempting to help "sportswash" Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

Phil Mickelson, playing his first tournament since early February, rebounded from a double bogey to shoot a 1-under 69. Dustin Johnson also carded a 69.

DeChambeau and Reed were not playing in the opening event but Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia were the star names in the inaugural field, with other notable participants including Englishmen Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Richard Bland, Germany's Martin Kaymer and South Africans Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace, and Rickie Fowler.

The complete field for the opening event is here:

The breakaway circuit begins at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire, before moving to the United States for three stops. 

It then has two events in Bangkok and Saudi Arabia, before the tour finishes at Trump Doral in Miami at the end of October.

The 48-man field will play across 12 teams of four players, which was determined at a draft on June 7.

The first seven regular season events will consist of three 54-hole events, with no cut and shotgun starts, while the final event will be a four-day team matchplay knockout. 

LIV then plans 10 events