Zimbabwe’s leading professional golfer Scott Vincent is set to return to action this week after being named in the star-studded field for the second event on the money-spinning LIV Golf Invitational Series.
The LIV Golf Series Invitational will play its first American event in Portland, Oregon from June 30-July 2 at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club, going head-to-head with the PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic.
Vincent was part of the Saudi-backed breakaway league’s inaugural event at Centurion Golf Club near London on June 11 where the last-placed golfer pocketed $120 000.
The 30-year-old Zimbabwean was in the spotlight during the first event after outshining the world-famous American pair of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson in the opening round.
Vincent, who went into the tournament on the back of successive wins on the Japan and Asian Golf Tours went on to finish the tournament in a tie for position 20 to pocket a cool US$200,000 for his efforts.
Prior to competing in the LIV Golf Series opener, Vincent has pocketed US$360,000.00 for winning the Asian Tour’s International Series England at Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort near Newcastle.
A week earlier the former St John’s College student had won the Mizuno Open at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club in Okayama, claiming a winner’s cheque of 16,000,000 Japanese Yen (US$ 119, 000.00).
While Vincent has been making some good money due to his consistent performances on the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour, where prize money is modest compared to the US PGA Tour, his earnings are set for a significant boost by playing on the LIV Golf Series.
Bankrolled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), the LIV Golf series, which is commissioned by Australian golf legend Greg Norman, held its first event in London this month which was won by South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, who pocketed the $4 million prize – the biggest pay cheque in golf history.
Overall, the field for the upcoming event in Portland will feature four former world number one ranked players, three in the current top 20 and almost half in the current world top 100.
As with the first tournament, players will compete in a 54-hole no-cut competition combining individual and team formats for a purse of $25 million.
Meanwhile, Vincent is set to make his debut in a golf major at St Andrew’s next month following the announcement by the R& A that players who have signed up to the breakaway Saudi-backed LIV Golf series will be allowed to compete in next month’s 150th British Open.
The US PGA Tour has banned those involved in the rebel venture after the inaugural event in Britain earlier this month but organisers of last week’s US Open did not follow suit.
That stance will be followed at the year’s final major, which starts at St Andrews in Scotland on July 14.