Saudi golf super league rekindled as star names plotted to follow Phil Mickelson lead

Officials behind the breakaway golf super league plan to announce the "marquee names" it has secured to join its inaugural series later this year, according to reports. Outspoken six-time major winner Phil Mickelson has already made his support public, while he is set to be joined by several other stars who have been convinced by Saudi cash.

Known officially as the LIV Golf Invitational Series, the series threatens to cause a civil war within the sport as it tries to prise some of its top names away from the PGA and DP World Tours. Many players including the likes of Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau have ruled out such a move, but it seems some others have been tempted.

The series tees off with a 48-man event in London later this year, which will have the highest prize pot of any golf tournament ever held in Europe. LIV Golf "hope to announce some of the players in the coming weeks," with the likes of Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood, Kevin Na and Ryder Cup hero Ian Poulter believed to be likely participants.

It seems some big names have been tempted to join despite threats from the PGA Tour that anyone who joins the new series will be banned from traditional events. Greg Norman, LIV Golf's chief executive and the public face of the circuit, is confident that enough top stars have been secured for the first year.

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"We've respected the Masters and let it go off, but now our journey is finally coming to fruition - for the players not for me," he told the Telegraph. "Their rightful place to have what they want. That's why they are still very, very, very interested. We have players signed, contrary to the white noise you're hearing out there."

He went