Through his social networks, the Mexican golfer Abraham Ancer confirmed his separation from the PGA Tour to join the LIV Golf International Series, the new elite series of this sport that is backed by capital from Saudi Arabia and in which other figures such as Phil Mickelson, Patrick Reed, Dustin Johnson and recently also Brooks Koepka.
By making this decision, Ancer becomes the first Mexican to participate in LIV Golf, with which he also assumes the consequence of not being considered for more events of the PGA Tourssince PGA announced that, among the sanctions for participating in the Saudi capital tournament, is the expulsion of their competitions.
“It is after careful consideration that I have decided to join the LIV Golf Series. It is not a decision taken lightly, I am very grateful to him. PGA Tours for the opportunities they have given me in my career so far. I am eager to face new opportunities in golf, ”wrote the golfer of Tamaulipas origin, without giving further reasons for his decision.
Ancer says goodbye to PGA Tours after having won his card as a player of this circuit in 2016. Since then, he has participated in 141 tournaments, of which he made the cut in 100 (equivalent to 70%) and achieved total earnings of 14 million 810,325 dollars. His biggest sporting success was a victory at the St. Jude Invitational tournament in August 2021.
Economically, the best year for Ancer within the PGA Tours It was the 2020-21 season, in which he reached $5,816,565, as a result of his victory at St. Jude and after having surprised with a second place at Wells Fargo; In addition, he finished in ninth place in the ranking of the FedExCupwhich earned him his first participation in the playoffs against the best golfers in the world.
However, so far in the 2021-22 season, he accumulates his worst amount of income with 1 million 546,504 dollars and his best sports position was a fifth place in the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play. In fact, at the beginning of June he had to give up the second Grand Slam of the year, the US Openfor having tested positive for Covid-19.
“As a passionate entrepreneur, I am excited about my new goals outside of the sport of golf. Also, this new opportunity at LIV Golf will allow me more time to help it grow and develop in Mexico. As a child who grew up in Reynosa, I never imagined being in the current position and I am looking forward to the future,” Ancer said in his farewell statement to the PGA Tours.
The man from Tamaulipas has built his own legacy beyond golf in these years. He owns his own brand of tequila, called Flecha Azul, and collaborates in the Black Quail Apparel clothing store, in which he is associated with Colombian golfer Sebastián Muñoz, also Mexican Roberto Díaz and American Max McGreevy. He also lends his likeness to endorsement activations with the Japanese club brand, Miura.
In terms of awards, the LIV Golf Series distributes a total purse of 25 million dollars and each golfer can take home a minimum of 120,000 dollars per tournament just by participating, regardless of whether they make the cut, something that the PGA Tour does take into account in order to give them an amount .
To the LIV Golf Series 2022 He has seven tournaments left (the closest will be from June 30 to July 2 in Portland), so a player who participates in each one and even if he does not make the cut would be pocketing $840,000, while another bag of five million dollars is distributed among the best teams (three million for first place, one and a half million for second and half a million for third).
The Mexican Ancer leaves the PGA Tours at 31 years old and in position 73 in the ranking for the FedEx Cup, although his ranking by the World Golf Organization is number 20. His best position was number 11 in August 2021, just after winning his first tournament of the PGA.
“I would like to thank my fans, who have supported me in what has clearly been a rewarding and fulfilling, but also very demanding, golf career. By taking this new opportunity, I will also be available to spend more time with my family and friends,” Ancer added in his statement.
One of his last tournaments in the PGA Tours It was the Mexico Open at Vidanta, in which he finished in the T42 position, but he made clear the affection that the Mexican public has for him. After that he participated in another four championships between May and June 2022, the most notable being the Grand Slam of the PGA Championship, where he finished in ninth position. His last record was a T32 in the Memorial Tournament.
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