Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele Latest To Be Linked To LIV Golf Move

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LIV Golf's inaugural season may have come to a close on Sunday, but the rumors about other top players joining the Saudi-backed circuit have not slowed down. Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay headline the latest group that could be looking to make the jump from the PGA Tour.

A report from the Guardian, an outlet that has been rather consistent with predictions regarding LIV golfers, suggests Cantlay and Schauffele are being targeted by the breakaway circuit. The two players, both Top 6 players in the world, are among four notable players being linked to LIV Golf ahead of the 2023 season.

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Mito Pereira, currently ranked 45th in the world, and Thomas Pieters, ranked 37th in the world, round out the group of four.

LIV president Atul Khosla did not confirm certain players that the circuit is eyeing, but wants next year's roster secured before the end of the year.

“We are in the middle of the discussions. We are going to get it done this year. We want the teams locked in by the New Year. It will play itself out over the next couple of months," Khosla told the outlet.

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele are great friends off the golf course as well. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

Cantlay And Schauffele Are Close Friends

LIV Golf announced earlier this year that its 2023 schedule will consist of 14 tournaments where players will compete for $405 million in purses. This is a $150 million increase in the total purse LIV Golf is paying this year. Players competed for $255 million over the course of eight events in 2022.

It's been reported that the 2023 LIV season could begin in February.

It would be another significant blow to the PGA Tour if the Saudi-backed circuit was to acquire the signatures of both Cantlay and Schauffele. While the two may not be the most marketable players on Tour, losing two Top 10 players in the world is not an ideal situation for the Tour.

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Cantlay is an eight-time PGA Tour winner and 2021 FedEx Cup champion. Schauffele has seven PGA Tour titles to his name, and like Cantlay, he has been a consistent member of both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams for the United States.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.