Dustin Johnson 'Fully Committed' to PGA Tour amid Rumors of Rival Super Golf League

Dustin Johnson reaffirmed his commitment to the PGA Tour, ending any speculation about whether the two-time major champion would join the Super Golf League.

The PGA Tour shared a statement from Johnson in which he said he's "fully committed" to the competition and "grateful for the opportunity to play on the best tour in the world."

The quickest way for any new league to gain legitimacy is through signing a sport's top stars. Poaching Johnson from the PGA Tour would've been a coup for the Super Golf League, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and helmed by golf legend Greg Norman.

Beyond earning far more money than they current do with the PGA Tour—the Daily Mail's Derek Lawrenson reported Bryson Dechambeau was offered £100 million ($136 million), which DeChambeau denied—the mere threat of a breakaway league is something golfers can use as leverage to address what they believe to be issues within the Tour.

Phil Mickelson made that point in a not-so-delicate fashion in an interview with Alan Shipnuck of The Fire Pit Collective:

"They're scary motherf--kers to get involved with. We know they killed [Washington Post reporter and U.S. resident Jamal] Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They execute people over there for being gay. Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates. They’ve been able to get by with manipulative, coercive, strong-arm tactics because we, the players, had no recourse."

Mickelson added that he's "not sure I even want [the SGL] to succeed" but that entertaining the idea could force the PGA Tour's hand.

However, Johnson is among the marquee golfers who have already gone on record in opposition to the Super Golf League.

Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm made it clear they aren't interested. Collin Morikawa said he weighed the proposal but ultimately decided to stay where he is. Justin Thomas called Mickelson's comments an "egotistical statement" and expressed indifference toward golfers who wanted to sign on for the Super Golf League.

Taking on the PGA Tour, which has the weight of history on its side, is a tall order. Whatever the Super Golf League looks like in its first iteration may resemble little of what fans come to expect when they tune into a major tournament to watch golf's best do battle.