Andy Ogletree receives $170,000 at LIV Golf event despite placing last

If anything summed up the absurd LIV Golf Invitational Series, it was the cheque handed to last-placed Andy Ogletree.

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND - JUNE 10: Andy Ogletree of the United States tees off on the 3rd hole during the LIV Invitational at The Centurion Club on June 10, 2022 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

If anything summed up the absurd amounts of cash being lobbed at the new LIV Golf Invitational Series it was the AU$170,000 cheque handed to Andy Ogletree for coming in dead last on Saturday.

Had the 24-year-old American been playing on the PGA Tour this week he would have been heading home after two rounds contemplating a financial loss for his efforts.

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But with no cuts and prize money supercharged by the backing of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, the former U.S. amateur champion enjoyed easily his biggest payday — no mean feat considering he was 24 over par for his three rounds at the opening event at The Centurion near London.

According to the PGA Tour, which Ogletree joined after turning professional in 2020, he has career earnings of $54,000.

He will no longer be able to play on the PGA Tour after the organisation on Thursday moved to suspend all the players who had jumped on board the LIV bandwagon.

For a player forging a career, getting barred from the PGA Tour would usually amount to financial ruin.

Yet if Ogletree plays in the remaining six individual events this year, even finishing last in all of them, he will be looking at earnings of close to $1 million.

Andy Ogletree received $170,000 for three days’ work. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Charl Schwartzel won the inaugural event in the Saudi-funded rebel LIV Golf series as Patrick Reed became the latest big-name player to sign up.

South Africa’s Schwartzel carded a final round of 72 at the Centurion Club outside London to finish seven under par and a shot clear of compatriot Hennie du Plessis.

The 37-year-old received a winner’s cheque of $5.6 million and also won $1.06 million for being part of the winning team in the 54-hole, three-day event.

“Honestly, I’m relieved,” said the 2011 Masters champion, who led by five shots with seven holes to play before a double bogey on the 12th set up a nervy finish.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think we could play for so much money in golf. It’s been an amazing experience.”

LIV Golf chief executive Greg Norman, who attempted to set up a world tour in 1994, said: “The evolution of the game of golf is alive and LIV is alive.

“For 27 years there’s been a lot of obstacles put in our path, a lot of dreams have tried to be squashed, but they couldn’t squash us and golf was always going to be the force for good out of all this.”

With AFP and the New York Post