U.S. Open 2023: Storylines and players to watch this week - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — The past week in men's professional golf seemed like a script from some Hollywood streaming series, with the PGA Tour forming an alliance with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which is financing the rival LIV Golf League fronted by the tour's favorite villain, two-time Open Championship winner Greg Norman.

As the world's best golfers gather for the third major championship of the season, perhaps it's fitting that the 123rd U.S. Open is being played not far from Hollywood, at Los Angeles Country Club.

Players from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League are still trying to figure out exactly what's going on. There's still much confusion, on both sides, about the future of the game. Will the LIV Golf League fold? Will it survive? Will LIV golfers just come back to the PGA Tour if it doesn't?

«I think I just don't know what's going on,» said English golfer and defending U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. «I don't think anyone knows what's going on. Are we signing with the PIF? Are we not signing with the PIF? I have no idea. Even though I guess it is confusing, it's pretty clear that nobody knows what's going on apart from about four people in the world.»

Australia's Cameron Smith, captain of Ripper GC in the LIV Golf League, said there's as much confusion on his circuit. Smith said he thought the proposed merger was a joke, until Yasir Al-Rumayyan, PIF's governor, called him to explain the alliance.

«He didn't really explain too much,» Smith said. «I think there's still a lot of stuff to be worked out, and as time goes on, we'll get to know more and more. But there's definitely a lot of curious players, I think, on both sides as to what the future is going to look like.»

LIV Golf League star Bryson