Many stars are absent. Saudi Arabia is tempted with crazy prize money, thus competing with the US Open.

The 122nd US Open in Brooklyn near Boston, which begins on Thursday, is in the middle of a Golftours feud, which could cause massive damage. Famous golfers are under special control.

Promoters from Saudi Arabia attract the best golfers in the world with crazy prize money and fees. Currently only the eight tournaments of the so-called LIV Tour have no sporting value, but each has been awarded $20 million. South African Charles Schwartzell earned $4 million for his victory at the tour’s premiere last weekend in London. He can’t win that amount in one go at any tournament on the US PGA Tour, which has dominated for decades.

The main characters of the LIV tour are Americans Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson. Mickelson is a six-time winner of the Grand Slam, and only one victory at the US Open is missing from his comfort. But Mickelson is 51 years old. Johnson has “only” won twice at the Grand Slam level, but he’s 37 years old and still in the juice. The Saudis are said to have paid Johnson just $150 million to leave the US circuit and join the LIV Tour, which has just three rounds each.

Golfers can’t read. Anyone who decides to become senior will be disqualified from the US PGA Tour. Besides Johnson and Mickelson, this player is also Spanish superstar Sergio Garcia. Americans Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed also want to change sides in the near future. However, they all qualify for the US Open, but are under special notice due to their past history.

Also missing this week was Tiger Woods, who won the second oldest major title in 2000, 2002 and 2008. The 46-year-old interstellar broke his injured right leg. He’s doing everything he can to get into the best possible shape over the next few weeks so that he can shine at the British Open, the oldest tournament, at the “home of golf” in St Andrews, Scotland, in mid-July.

Even without mentioning the big names, the 122nd US Open has an excellent lineup. American Scottie Scheffler, the standout winner of the US Masters Championships in Augusta in April, leads a number of young pros who have made golf more and more dynamic in recent years and who offer no less than runaways Johnson and Mickelson. Schaeffler, who has won four times in the US this calendar year, could claim his second win at the top level.

Four-time champion Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland appears to have found his best form yet again. Anyway, he won the US Canadian Open in Toronto last weekend. The list of winners can be extended almost indefinitely.

plh, sda