Phil Mickelson leaves the PGA Tour

Phil Mickelson also decided to exit the PGA Tour and signed on for a fortune with his new competitor, the LVI Tour.

Just as Dustin Johnson did less than a week ago, another big name on the PGA Tour has defected. The most famous left-hander on the planet, Phil Mickelson, has entered the first tournament of the year on the new tour funded by wealthy Saudis.

Sources say the winner of 45 career tournaments, including six majors, has accepted a $200 million advance to join the new professional tour.

The LVI Tour will begin operations on Thursday, June 9, with the first tournament held in suburban London, with a total purse of $25 million (U.S.), double that paid by the PGA Tour.

In addition to Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Louis Oosthuizen areamong the other big names on the listof42 players who entered the first tournament.

Phil Mickelson, 51, caused quite a stir in the golf world last February. He dared to be positive about the arrival of the Saudis and their new tour, saying the players would benefit from the competition.

So it’s no surprise that the great left-hander is making the jump to the LVI Tour. It remains to be seen how the PGA Tour will respond, as they have threatened sanctions against deserters.

In a recent book, Phil Mickelson is portrayed as a bettor who lost $40 million between 2010 and 2014.

The $200 million offered by the Saudis would easily get rid of that problem.