Dustin Johnson is the surprise name on the entry list for the first LIV Golf International Series event which will be played in England next week.
Since rumours of the breakaway tour emerged, the majority of the world's best players have distanced themselves from the competition, partly due to prize money being provided by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Ahead of the opening tournament at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire between June 9 and 11, six-time major Phil Mickelson had been tipped to be the most high-profile mover, ignoring the PGA Tour denying an official request from its members to play in the event.
However, the left-hander is absent from the 42-strong entry list, Johnson instead taking centre stage in a decision which will no doubt surprise PGA Tour officials, his fellow players and supporters alike.
Speaking to the Golf Channel, the former world number one's agent said: "Dustin's been contemplating this for the past two years and decided it was in his and his family's best interest to pursue it.
"He's never had any issue with the PGA Tour and is grateful for all it's given him but in the end felt this was too compelling to pass up."
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The announcement that Sergio Garcia - another former Masters winner - is less of a surprise, the Spaniard letting slip his decision during a rant at a PGA Tour official last month.
Another former world number one in the form of Lee Westwood falls into the same bracket, the veteran Englishman speaking openly last month about his intention to explore the rewards on offer given that he is an "individual contractor".
At the time, Westwood put the onus on the DP World Tour and other officials to make a U-turn on their decision to prevent any players being willing to join a new tour from participating in the Ryder Cup or becoming a future captain.
English compatriot and Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter has joined Westwood in ignoring that threat, the pair instead wanting to attempt to earn the $4m winners prize which is on offer in each LIV tournament.
Other high-profile names include Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell, players who have all won Major tournaments in their careers.
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American pair Kevin Na and Talor Gooch - who are ranked at 33 and 35 in the World Golf Rankings - complete the list of top-50 players on the entry list, with recent DP World Tour winners Richard Bland, Bernd Wiesberger and Sam Horsfield fellow notable names.
LIV Golf's chief executive Greg Norman has previously hinted that some of the world's amateur players had also been approached, and that has proven true with three players being scheduled to line up at Centurion Club.
Thailand's Ratchanon Chantananuwat - the youngest-ever winner of an official world ranking event - and Spain's David Puig - who had seven top-10 finishes in NCAA tournaments last year - have opted against joining either of the recognised tours at the start of their careers.
Arguably the biggest blow to the PGA Tour in terms of amateurs is the move of James Piot, the 2021 US Amateur champion.
Six regular tournaments are scheduled to take place in the United States, Thailand and Saudi Arabia before the 2022 edition concludes at Trump National Doral Miami at the end of October.
Darren Plant
