Report: LIV Golf event in doubt after ‘half of field’ get sick

Reports have suggested that LIV Golf’s season opener in Mexico is in doubt at the final hour, as ‘more than half of the field’ has gone down with food poising.

With Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton set to make their debut in the Saudi-backed league, numerous players, caddies and managers are said to be ill.

The first event of the 2024 season is at El Camaleon Golf Club at Mayakoba, with play scheduled to get underway at 1.15pm local time.

However, LIV Golf has said there are no withdrawals from the field yet, while there are no plans to postpone or delay the start of the tournament.

First reported by James Corrigan, he posted on X: “Apparently more than half of the LIV field has gone down with food poising.

“Today’s first round in the Mexico opener could be postponed. Sounds nasty.”

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Shortly after, he wrote: “Hearing that not a single player wants to withdraw. Probably no postponement.”

Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated’s Bob Harig has tweeted: “Several LIV Golf players, caddies, managers reported being ill yesterday and today in advance of the first round at Mayakoba in Mexico.

“But LIV Golf is officially saying that there are no withdrawals at this time and no plans to delay or postpone the start of the tournament.”

The news comes after LIV hosted a ‘welcome party’ on the eve of this week’s event. A video posted on LIV Golf’s X account, showed Rahm, Hatton, Brooks Koepka, Cameron Smith and Sergio Garcia attending the event, which appeared to be hosted by Greg Norman.

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Meanwhile LIV has posted an interview with Abraham Ancer, who said: “I don’t think I could pick a better place to start the season. We are excited and I think we all feel , collectively, really good about the team.”

It was followed by a video of five-time major champion Brooks Koepka out on the course. The post read: “The pure swing of Brooks Koepka.”

After signing a new major TV deal and tech partnership, Greg Norman’s breakaway league is set to begin with Talor Gooch, Rahm and Smith teeing off together.

Other marquee groups include Dustin Johnson, Joaquin Niemann and Koepka, and Hatton, Ancer and Martin Kaymer.