LIV Golf: Top PGA Tour golfers who will compete in London this week

The LIV Golf Invitational Series, a controversial new league designed to compete with the PGA Tour, will start play Thursday at the Centurion Golf Club in London.

The eight-tournament golf series, founded by two-time British Open winner Greg Norman, is supported financially by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Saudi Arabia has been criticized for human rights abuses, and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has been accused of sanctioning the 2018 murder and dismemberment of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

The Official Golf World Ranking will not recognize the event, meaning competitors will not earn any points from participating. This has not stopped more than 40 players from committing to play for the $255 million prize money, which is the richest in golf history. Bryson DeChambeau will join the league starting July 1-3 for the event in North Plains, Oregon, his agent said Wednesday.

The London tournament can be streamed on the company’s website, as well as YouTube and Facebook. Here’s a look at the top players set to compete in this new golf league teeing off Thursday, at 9 a.m. ET (2 p.m. local).

LIV GOLF:Controversial new tour begins Thursday. What you should know.

OPINION: USGA fails game by allowing LIV golfers to compete at US Open

LIV GOLF:Press conference gets heated before inaugural London event

OPINION: Bashing golfers taking Saudi cash ignores realites of complicated world

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Dustin Johnson

Age: 37

World ranking: 15

PGA Tour victories: 24

Career money: $74,276,710

On Tuesday, Johnson announced that he was resigning from the PGA Tour and intends to participate only in LIV Golf events and major championships in the future. Johnson, the 2016 U.S. Open champion and 2020 Masters winner, ranks third on the PGA Tour career money list and tied for 26th on the all-time wins list. The South Carolina native, who is married to Paulina Gretzky, daughter of legendary NHL star Wayne Gretzky, reportedly received $125 million from the LIV to leave the PGA Tour.

JOHNSON:Resigns his PGA Tour membership to play in Saudi league

Phil Mickelson

Age: 51

World ranking: 72

PGA Tour victories: 45

Career Money: $94,955,060

Mickelson, who became oldest player to win a major when he triumphed at the 2021 PGA Championship, will return to golf at the LIV series after a four-month hiatus. He took time away from the sport after making contentious comments about the PGA Tour's "obnoxious greed." He also said he would join a Saudi-funded series because it was a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.” Mickelson, who ranks second on the career money list and eighth in career wins, has not resigned his membership on the PGA Tour.

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Kevin Na

Age: 38

World ranking: 34

PGA Tour victories: 5

Career Money: $37,819,638

Na announced on social media Saturday that he was resigning from the PGA Tour to pursue the LIV series. He said he disagreed with the PGA’s stance on disallowing players to participate with rival series and said he desired the “freedom to play wherever I want and exercising my right as a free agent gives me that opportunity." Out of 12 starts on tour this season, Na had six finishes in the top 25 and two in the top 10.

Sergio Garcia

Age: 42

World ranking: 57

PGA Tour victories: 11

Career Money: $54,400,870

García, who ranks 10th all time on the PGA Tour money list, has 36 international tournament victories in his career. A month prior to committing to the LIV series, the 2017 Masters winner from Spain voiced his displeasure with the PGA Tour ruling on a lost ball in the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship. “I can't wait to leave this tour," Garcia said. "I can't wait to get out of here, my friend.”

Louis Oosthuizen

Age: 39

World ranking: 21

PGA Tour victories: 1

Career Money: $28,124,759

Oosthuizen resigned his PGA Tour membership to play in the LIV on Tuesday. The South African native who resides in Ocala, Florida, has finished as a runner-up in six major championships and won the 2010 British Open.

Talor Gooch

Age: 30

World ranking: 35

PGA Tour victories: 1

Career Money: $9,084,193

Gooch, who turned professional in 2014 after playing at Oklahoma State, said Tuesday during the LIV news conference that assertions the series participates in sportswashing – using sport to sanitize a political regime or organization – are unfair. "Also, I'm a golfer. I'm not that smart," he added. "I try to hit a golf ball into a small hole. Golf is hard enough.”

Ian Poulter

Age: 46

World ranking: 92

PGA Tour victories: 3

Career Money: $28,176,072

Over the past weekend, the English pro who has won 12 times on the European Tour, made a hole-in-one in the 17th hole of a practice round at the Centurion Golf Club. Poulter won the British Open in 2008 an ranked as high as fifth in the world in 2010.

Martin Kaymer

Age: 37

World ranking: 215

PGA Tour victories: 3

Career Money: $11,412,311

Kaymer, who hails from Germany, explained that the additional money to be earned at the LIV series is not the singular motivator for joining the new league. "If you see where I'm at in my career, I don't have a full PGA Tour card. I would love to play the best in the world but at the moment I can't. ... So this is a great opportunity to play a different kind of golf, different kind of golf tournaments." Kaymer, who won the 2010 PGA Championship and 2014 U.S. Open, was ranked No. 1 in the world for eight weeks in 2011.

Graeme McDowell

Age: 42

World ranking: 374

PGA Tour victories: 4

Career Money: $19,099,776

McDowell lost his sponsorship with the Royal Bank of Canada because he joined the LIV series. On Tuesday, the 2010 U.S. Open winner from Northern Ireland, said he accepts that it is "incredibly polarizing" to be involved with Saudi Arabia-sponsored league. He also said that he views golf as a “force of good in the world.”

Lee Westwood

Age: 49

World ranking: 78

PGA Tour victories: 2

Career Money: $23,795,344

Westwood has received some backlash from fans after sharing a video of himself on Twitter offering the first 100 people to follow his instructions free tickets for the LIV Golf Invitational Series event in London. A native of England, Westwood became the No. 1 ranked golfer in the the world in 2010 and held the top ranking for 22 weeks.

Charl Schwartzel

Age: 37

World ranking: 126

PGA Tour victories: 2

Career Money: $20,912,493

Schwartzel, who broke out in 2011 after winning The Masters, resigned from the PGA Tour to compete in the LIV Series. The Johannesburg, South Africa native achieved his highest world ranking of sixth in 2012.

LIV Golf tour: What to know about controversial Saudi-backed league

The Saudi-backed LIV Golf league will hold its inaugural event June 9-11 in London

A 48-person field, broken into 12 teams of four people each, will compete in seven regular season events

Notable names to join the LIV Golf tour include Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio García

The Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series will make its debut this weekend in London.

The league announced a field of 48 players, including Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen. The league is already disrupting the dynamics in professional men's golf and could continue to do so as its season continues. Yet, hanging above the shifting balance of power in the business of golf are the questions of ethics and morals facing players and executives who have joined the league, in light of multiple accusations against the Saudi Arabian government of alleged human rights violations.

LIV Golf membership may impact fields at British Open, PGA, Masters

The PGA Tour announced on Thursday that it's suspending membership privileges for golfers who join the LIV Golf Invitational Series. However, that decision by itself has no impact on the four major tournaments in men's golf because they're all run by separate entities.

The USGA, for example, has already said Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and others will be allowed to compete in next week's U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Here's a look at what the USGA, R&A, PGA of America and the Masters have publicly said (or not said) about LIV Golf players taking part in their events:

Opinion:The PGA Tour is right to suspend Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, LIV golfers

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USGA (U.S. Open)

The U.S. Open is set to begin one week after the inaugural LIV Golf event outside London. As several prominent players announced their intentions to compete in the Saudi-backed circuit, the United States Golf Association remained silent.

On June 7, the USGA finally made its position public:

“We pride ourselves in being the most open championship in the world and the players who have earned the right to compete in this year’s championship, both via exemption and qualifying, will have the opportunity to do so.

“Our field criteria were set prior to entries opening earlier this year and it’s not appropriate, nor fair to competitors, to change criteria once established.”

R&A (British Open)

Once the U.S. Open concludes, the focus will turn to the final major of the 2022 calendar year, the 150th British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland.

The tournament will be played at the legendary Old Course from July 14-17.

In response to a question about how it will handle LIV-affiliated golfers, a spokesman for the R&A told GOLF.com last week, “We haven’t commented on it and don’t plan to as it stands.”

However, the R&A did decide in December not to grant a spot in the Open to the winner of the Asian Tour's Order of Merit. That move came just a few months after the LIV group announced a multimillion dollar investment in the Asian Tour.

PGA of America (PGA Championship)

To compete in the PGA Championship, golfers must be part of a recognized tour. At this year's tournament at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last month PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh questioned whether the LIV setup qualified.

“We think the structure of – I don't know if it's a league, it's not a league at this point – but the league structure is somewhat flawed,” he said.

The 2023 PGA Championship will be played May 18-21 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York.

Augusta National Golf Club (Masters)

The Masters has the most control over which players can participate because the field is filled by invitation only.

Augusta National also has a special reverence for its former champions, which would include LIV participants Phil Mickelson (2004, 2006, 2010), Charl Schwartzel (2011), Sergio Garcia (2017) and Dustin Johnson (2021).

Dustin Johnson resigns from PGA Tour to play in LIV Golf series, as ...

(CNN) Six-time golf major champion Phil Mickelson will participate in the inaugural LIV Golf tournament at the Centurion Club near London, along with two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, who on Tuesday resigned from the PGA Tour ahead of headlining the controversial series.

Mickelson, who won the last of three Masters green jackets in 2010, has not played since controversial comments about the Saudi Arabian-funded events were published earlier this year by his biographer.

He was quoted from a 2021 interview with author Alan Shipnuck for his upcoming book, "Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf's Most Colorful Superstar," as saying that he would consider joining the proposed Super League because it is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates."

Shipnuck quoted Mickelson as saying disparaging things about Saudi Arabia's human rights record and asserting that the kingdom killed journalist Jamal Khashoggi . Mickelson said in February he would take "some time away" from golf after being criticized for the comments.

Mickelson tweeted a statement Monday, "I am thrilled to begin with LIV Golf and I appreciate everyone involved. I also intend to play the majors."

Greg Norman , CEO of LIV Golf, stated in part on Monday, "(Mickelson) strengthens an exciting field for London where we're proud to launch a new era for golf. Our International Series qualifiers have earned an incredible opportunity to compete in LIV Golf's new format, and I'm eager to watch all of them tee it up..."

Mickelson was apologetic in Monday's statement saying "I want to again apologize to the many people I offended and hurt with my comments a few months ago. I have made mistakes in my career in some of the things I have said and done ... I have been engaged and intentional in continued therapy and feel healthy and much more at peace. I realize I still have a long way to go, but I am embracing the work ahead."

CNN reached out to LIV Golf about how much money Mickelson will earn for participating.

Johnson quits PGA Tour

Meanwhile, Johnson announced he had resigned from the PGA Tour to compete in the LIV Golf event.

He is set to play along with 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, two-time major winner Martin Kaymer and Kevin Na among others.

"It's hard to speak on what the consequences might be, but I've resigned my membership of the Tour and that's the plan for now," he said at a press conference at the Centurion Club, outside London, the venue for the inaugural Saudi-backed event which tees off on Thursday.

The 37-year-old American will no longer be eligible for the Ryder Cup but remains optimistic about featuring in future events of the biennial competition against Europe, having been on the winning side twice in five appearances.

"The Ryder Cup is unbelievable and has meant a lot to me, but ultimately I decided this was best for me and my family," he said.

"All things are subject to change and hopefully, at some point, it will change and I will get a chance to do that again," he added.

In a statement released later on Tuesday, the United States Golf Association (USGA) says it will welcome all golfers who have earned the right to play in the US Open, including players who have decided to participate in the LIV Golf series.

The USGA, citing its aim to be "the most open championship in the world," says it would not be appropriate or fair to change the tournament's established field criteria. The association also clarified that its decision should not be viewed as a show of support for the Saudi-backed LIV Golf series or its players.

Johnson is the second golfer to resign from the PGA Tour in order to play in the controversial breakaway lead, after American Na announced his decision last week.

CNN reached out to the PGA Tour for comment about Johnson's resignation.

Last week, the PGA Tour threatened "disciplinary action" for PGA Tour golfers who participate in the new Saudi-backed series.

David Close
Amy Woodyatt
Sammy Mngqosini

LIV Golf: PGA Tour officially suspends golfers participating in ...

(CNN) Following the start of the inaugural LIV Golf event near London on Thursday, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced that all golfers playing in the breakaway series have been notified that they are suspended and otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournaments.

"As you know, players listed below did not receive the necessary conflicting event and media rights releases -- or did not apply for releases at all -- and their participation in the Saudi Golf League/LIV Golf event is in violation of our Tournament Regulations," Monahan said in a memo.

"The same fate holds true for any other players who participate in future Saudi Golf League events in violation of our Regulations."

Players who have resigned their memberships will be removed from the FedEx Cup points list when the RBC Canadian Open scores are posted on Sunday.

The 17 golfers listed, including past major winners Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia, will not be permitted to play in PGA Tour tournaments as a non-member via a sponsor exemption or any other eligibility category, the memo reiterated.

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PGA Tour suspends LIV Golf Series participants for unspecified period

Seventeen golfers who are currently playing in the LIV Golf Series have been suspended for an unspecified period, the PGA Tour announced Thursday, saying the players made their choice to play in the Saudi-backed league for "financial-based reasons." Those who choose to participate in the future will also be suspended.

The announcement came roughly 30 minutes after the LIV teed off in London for its first 54-hole, team-oriented tournament.

Players who have resigned their PGA Tour membership won't be eligible for the FedEx Cup Playoffs and will not be allowed to play in PGA Tour events as "a non-member via a sponsor exemption or any other eligibility category."

LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL SERIES:Controversial new tour begins Thursday. What you should know.

FAQ:How to watch the inaugural tournament in London on live stream

MORE:Phil Mickelson will not cede PGA Tour membership as he sets to play in the Saudi-backed LIV Series

"I am certain our fans and partners — who are surely tired of the all this talk of money, money and money — will continue to be entertained and compelled by the world-class competition you display each and every week, where there are true consequences for every shot you take and your rightful place in history whenever you reach that elusive winner's circles," PGA Tour president Jay Monahan said in a statement.

"We have followed the Tournament Regulations from start to finish in responding to those players who have decided to turn their backs on the PGA Tour by willfully violating a regulation,” Monahan added. “Simultaneous to you receiving this memo, the players are being notified that they are suspended or otherwise no longer eligible to participate in PGA Tour tournament play, including the Presidents Cup."

The LIV Golf Series responded Thursday with a statement saying the suspensions were "vindictive" and that it "deepens the divide between the Tour and its members."

"This certainly is not the last word on this topic. The era of free agency is beginning as we are proud to have a full field of players joining us in London and beyond," LIV Golf said.

The LIV Golf tour was formed in 2020, backed by the Public Investment Fund, the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has been accused of wide-ranging human rights abuses, including politically motivated killings, torture, forced disappearances and inhumane treatment of prisoners. And members of the royal family and Saudi government were accused of involvement in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist.

LIV Golf — whose name is derived from the Roman numeral for 54 — plans to run eight events between June and October in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Each event will consist of 54 holes (three 18-hole days), where 48 players will compete on 12 different teams.

The LIV Tour also said there won't be any cuts and each round will be a shotgun start in hopes to speed up the pace of play. LIV Golf will dole out a combined $250 million in prize money across events, individual winners, and winning teams.

The tour has already landed a number of big names. Phil Mickelson, one of the first known PGA Tour players to support the league, says he doesn't plan to resign his PGA Tour membership.

Dustin Johnson announced this week that he resigned from the PGA Tour and intends to participate only in LIV Golf events and majors in the immediate future. He reportedly received $125 million to join the tour. He joins Kevin Na, Sergio Garcia, Talor Gooch, Ian Poulter and others for the tour’s inaugural event at the Centurion Golf Club outside of London.

While 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau won't play in the inaugural event, his agent announced Wednesday that he will join the league, starting July 1-3 for the tour’s event in North Plains, Oregon.

Phil Mickelson to play in first LIV Golf Invitational event in London

Phil Mickelson’s name wasn’t on the initial list of players for this week’s LIV Golf Invitational Series opener in London, but did you really think Lefty would miss out?

On Monday, hours after announcing its plans to stream the inaugural event at Centurion Club outside London, June 9-11, it was also announced that Mickelson would be ending his self-imposed hiatus and teeing it up alongside Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na and the rest of the LIV Golf field.

Mickelson released a statement on Twitter where he started by apologizing to people he offended with his comments and praised his “humbling” time away.

“I realize I still have a long way to go but I’m embracing the work ahead. I’m ready to come back to play the game I love but after 32 years, this new path is a fresh start, one that is exciting for me at this stage of my career and is clearly transformative, not just for myself, but ideally for the game and my peers,” wrote Mickelson. “I also love the progressive format and I think it will be exciting for fans. Just as importantly, it will provide balance, allowing me to focus on a healthier approach to life and on and off the course. I am incredibly grateful for what this game and the PGA Tour has given me. I would like to think that I have given back as well but now I’m excited about this new opportunity. I’m thrilled to begin with LIV Golf and I appreciate everyone involved.”

Mickelson added that he intends to play major championships, despite missing out on his title defense at the PGA Championship, and realizes and respects that some may disagree with this decision.

“I have a renewed spirit and excitement for the game. I am incredibly grateful for the support of my fans, partners, friends, and peers and I hope in time, those sentiments, relationships, and support continue.”

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Mickelson last competed on the PGA Tour in January, where he missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open. He then finished T-18 a week later at the Saudi International. He has largely avoided the public after making controversial comments about the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia.

“Phil Mickelson is unequivocally one of the greatest golfers of this generation. His contributions to the sport and connection to fans around the globe cannot be overstated and we are grateful to have him. He strengthens an exciting field for London where we’re proud to launch a new era for golf,” said Greg Norman, CEO and Commissioner of LIV Golf.

Five additional players were added to the field, qualifying via the Asian Tour International Series following last week’s International Series England competition at Slayley Hall: Itthipat Buranatanyarat, Viraj Madappa, Travis Smyth, Ian Snyman and Kevin Yuan.

LIV Golf Invitational Series: Press conference gets heated

The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event will tee off starting Thursday with players such as Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and other notable names joining the venture.

To preview the three-day event the circuit held an opening news conference at Centurion Golf Club in St. Albans, England on Tuesday.

Johnson resigned from the PGA Tour. Players among the 48-person field were asked about LIV Golf being financed by the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia and its role in the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, among other atrocities.

Here are some highlights from the news conference, which included abbreviated explanations and reporters being removed.

OPTING OUT: Dustin Johnson resigns his PGA Tour membership to play in Saudi league

'I'LL BE THERE:' Mickelson plans on playing US Open, all LIV Golf Invitational Series events

Graeme McDowell: 'Really hard question'

According to ESPN, McDowell was one of the lone golfers to provide a response to a question about working on behalf of Saudi Arabia.

"I wish I had the ability to be able to have that conversation with you," McDowell said. "You know, I think as golfers, if we tried to cure geopolitical situations in every country in the world that we play golf in, we wouldn't play a lot of golf. It's a really hard question to answer. You know, we're just here to focus on the golf and kind of what it does globally for the role models that these guys are and that we are, and yeah, that's a really hard question to get into.

"I mean, this has been incredibly polarizing. I think we all agree, the Kashoggi situation, that was reprehensible."

Talor Gooch: 'I'm not that smart'

Posed with a question about participating in "sportswashing" – using sports to present a sanitized version of a political regime or operation – Talor Gooch had this to say:

"I don't think that's fair," he said, via ESPN. "Also ... I'm a golfer. I'm not that smart. I try to hit a golf ball into a small hole. Golf is hard enough. I try to worry about golf, and I'm excited bout this week."

Kevin Na confident he can play Ryder Cup

As of now, players must be PGA Tour members to play in the Ryder Cup. By participating in LIV Golf, they risk being banned for playing with a non-sanctioned competitor.

Kevin Na thinks it won't come down to that, though. "I honestly don't think it's going to happen."

His thinking?

"Rules can be changed," he said.

Dustin Johnson resigns from PGA Tour

While McDowell opted to not resign from the PGA Tour yet, Johnson took the preemptive step.

“I'm excited about (LIV)," he said. "Obviously the Ryder Cup is unbelievable and something that has meant a lot to me. ... Hopefully I’ll get a chance to do that again, but I don’t make the rules.”

Reporter removed before returning

According to ESPN, Associated Press reporter Rob Harris was removed after a LIV spokesman cut him off while trying to answer a question. Players began to leave as LIV officials reprimanded the reporter for not being "polite."

Security led Harris out after that. Harris was allowed back into the media center about 10 minutes later, per ESPN.

Ari Fleischer runs LIV Golf news conference

The emcee of the news conference was former White House press secretary and Fox News contributor Ari Fleischer.

The spokesman was held to the same standard as the players and asked to square his employment with LIV Golf compared to his past Twitter posts that criticized the government.

Fleischer also does media consulting for the College Football Playoff.

Contributing: Associated Press

Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.

PGA Tour denies releases for players in Saudi-funded event

AP

The PGA Tour is denying releases to golfers who asked to play in the first of a series of Saudi-funded tournaments next month in England, a bold move by Commissioner Jay Monahan in trying to quash Greg Norman’s latest bid to start a lucrative rival league.

The first LIV Golf Invitational is scheduled for June 9-11 at Centurion Golf Club outside of London, with a 48-man field competing for a $20 million purse over 54 holes. The winner gets $4 million — to date the richest prize in golf — and last place gets $120,000.

The tour informed the players who are seeking releases late Tuesday afternoon, and then notified all players of the decision in a short memo, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

“We have notified those who have applied that their request has been declined in accordance with the PGA Tour Tournament Regulations. As such, Tour members are not authorized to participate in the Saudi Golf League’s London event under our regulations,” the memo said.

“As a membership organization, we believe this decision is in the best interest of the PGA Tour and its players.”

While the names of players who have signed up has not officially been released, Phil Mickelson said through his agent he has asked for a conflicting event release to the London event. Lee Westwood confirmed last week he asked the PGA Tour and European tour for a release.

The Daily Telegraph reported that Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Ian Poulter also were among those who sought releases.

Norman is the CEO of LIV Golf Investments, funded primarily by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. He told Sky Sport earlier Tuesday he would have six of the top 50 players in the world at the London event and 19 of the top 100.

Now that Monahan has staked his position, it’s up to the players to decide if they still want to go and risk losing PGA Tour membership.

“Sadly, the PGA Tour seems intent on denying professional golfers their right to play golf, unless it’s exclusively in a PGA Tour tournament," Norman said in a statement, calling the decision “anti-golfer, anti-fan, and anti-competitive.”

He also said “no matter what obstacles the PGA Tour puts in our way, we will not be stopped” and will “continue to give players options.”

When asked the tour’s next step, Monahan said, “I can tell you what we’re going to do — keep hosting the best events with the best players, with the world’s greatest fans and partners.”

The first LIV event, one week before the U.S. Open, is scheduled for the same week as the RBC Canadian Open, the fourth-oldest national open in golf. Norman won it twice.

PGA Tour guidelines typically allow for players to get three releases to play in tournaments around the world.

Monahan granted releases to about two dozen players for the Saudi International on Feb. 3-6 — the same week as Pebble Beach — with the caveat that players going to the event would be required to play Pebble Beach as many as two times over the next three years.

But his decision Tuesday painted the LIV Golf Invitational in a different light as the first of eight such events with $20 million purses, along with a $5 million prize fund for a team component.

Norman has postponed the league concept of 12 four-man teams for a few years after the top players said they were not interested.

He has presented the LIV Golf Invitational series this year as separate tournaments in which players could compete as often as they liked.

Five of the tournaments are scheduled for the United States, a direct challenge to the PGA Tour because its regulations do not allow for any releases for tournaments held in North America. The first one is scheduled for July 1-3 near Portland, Oregon. Others are for suburban Chicago and suburban Boston, as well as two courses owned by former President Donald Trump in New Jersey and Miami.

The U.S. events, particularly the Portland one, was seen as the first real test of the PGA Tour stating where its players could compete.

Instead, Monahan fired the first shot in denying releases to London. The next step is whether players will challenge him by playing the LIV Golf Invitational, anyway. Monahan has said that would lead to players being disbarred.

The move was not entirely surprising. Monahan had said in late February that he told players the PGA Tour was moving on “and anyone on the fence needs to make a decision.”

The tour denied the releases on the same day Norman announced an additional $2 billion investment to expand the LIV Golf series to 10 tournaments next year, and a full season of 14 tournaments in 2024 and 2025. He said details of those additional tournaments would be disclosed later.

"We have a long-term vision and we’re here to stay,” said Norman, who tried to start a World Golf Tour in 1994.

The latest effort suffered a big hit in February when the top 10 players in the world all said they were sticking with the PGA Tour. Rory McIlroy, a staunch opponent to the Saudi league, referred to it as a “pre-Champions tour” noting that most of those interested were in the twilight of their careers.

___

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Golfer Robert Garrigus seeks waiver for Saudi-backed LIV Invitational

Eamonn Lynch

Golfweek

A career journeyman has become the first PGA Tour member to apply for permission to compete in a controversial tournament funded by the Saudi Arabian government in England this summer.

Multiple people told Golfweek that Robert Garrigus has requested a release from the PGA Tour to play in the LIV Golf Invitational, scheduled for June 9-11 at the Centurion Club in London. PGA Tour members are required to obtain a waiver to compete in events held on other circuits. Such applications must be submitted at least 45 days before the first round of the tournament, which means the deadline for players to request a green light to play for Saudi cash in London is Monday, April 25.

The people, who requested anonymity, say Garrigus is the only Tour player who has filed for a waiver so far, though others are expected to do so. The Tour must decide on applications 30 days before the event begins, or by May 10.

A spokesperson for the PGA Tour declined to comment on Garrigus or on releases for the Saudi event. Kevin Canning, the agent for Garrigus, also declined comment.

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The tournament in London is the first of eight scheduled events announced by Greg Norman, who has been the public face of LIV Golf, an organization financed by the Saudi government’s Public Investment Fund. The lucrative tournaments — $25 million purses with $4 million for first place — have been widely criticized as a blatant attempt by the Saudi regime to “sportswash” its human rights abuses.

The Saudis originally planned an 18-event breakaway tour featuring only the best players in the world but that plan faltered when almost every top player rejected offers to join and pledged to remain on the PGA Tour. LIV Golf has since abandoned any immediate hope of launching a rival league and is instead trying to gain traction by staging individual tournaments, four of which are scheduled in the U.S., the first being July 1-3 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland, Oregon.

It’s expected that fields for the LIV Golf events will largely be made up of journeymen from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour). Norman recently conceded that amateurs may also be invited to compete, and that his strategy is to make elite players jealous at seeing also-rans win enormous sums of money, hoping that envy will eventually draw top-tier talent to his events.

Garrigus, 44, joined the PGA Tour in 2006. He has one career victory, the Children’s Miracle Network Classic in 2010, and has not made the field in a major championship since 2013. He has made just four starts this season, with his best finish a tie for 16th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He last played a full season on Tour in 2017-18. His last top-10 finish came at the Farmers Insurance Open four years ago. Since then, he has earned $320,597.

In 2020-21, Garrigus played 20 events on the Korn Ferry Tour, recording two top 25s and missing the cut 13 times, ending the season ranked 190th in earnings. He currently has limited status on the PGA Tour as a veteran and past champion. His career earnings on the PGA Tour total $14.9 million.

Garrigus is in the field for this week’s team event, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, with Tommy Gainey.


D-Day photos: Historical images on anniversary of invasion

Monday marks the 78th anniversary of the historic D-Day operation.

In the midst of World War II on June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France. More than 156,000 troops, notably from the United States, Britain and Canada, confronted Nazi forces on D-Day forever reshaping the war, according to the Department of Defense.

D-Day began the assault phase (codenamed Operation Neptune) of the wider Allied invasion of northwest Europe led by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, known as Operation Overlord. According to Britannica, by the end of August 1944, all of northern France was liberated from Nazi control.

Fact check:Image does not show WWII paratroopers in D-Day plane

'Forgotten Army':Remember the 2.5M vital Indian soldiers who fought for the Allies

The exact number of people killed in the fighting is unknown, but research by the U.S. National D-Day Memorial Foundation estimates that there were over 4,000 Allied deaths and between 4,000 and 9,000 German losses on D-Day.

More than 100,000 Allied and German soldiers died during the full Battle at Normandy and around 20,000 French civilians were reportedly killed in the bombings.

Here are some D-Day photographs from all those years ago.

What's everyone talking about?:Sign up for our trending newsletter to get the latest news of the day

Contributing: Ryan Miller

Tropical Storm Alex, D-Day anniversary, NHL Western Conference ...

Editors

USA TODAY

Russia tightens pressure on Donbas region

Russia is continuing what British officials have called a "creeping advance" on Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region on Monday. Russian troops blew up bridges and shelled apartments in Sievierodonetsk and neighboring Lysychansk, the last two major cities of the Luhansk province still held by Ukraine. If captured, Russian President Vladimir Putin would take control of the contested area. The British Defense Ministry said Sunday that Ukrainian forces counterattacked Sieverodonetsk, likely blunting Russia’s momentum there. Military analysts say Russia hopes to overrun Ukraine’s embattled industrial Donbas region, where Russia-backed separatists have fought the Ukrainian government since 2014, before the arrival of any U.S. weapons that might turn the tide. The U.S. is sending a new security package to Ukraine that will include four sophisticated, medium-range rocket systems and ammunition, the Pentagon said Wednesday. The Pentagon said it would take at least three weeks to get the precision weapons and trained troops onto the battlefield.

Prefer to listen? Check out the 5 Things podcast:

Tropical Storm Alex heads toward Bermuda

Tropical Storm Alex, which became the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season Sunday, is forecast to pass just north of Bermuda on Monday, after killing three people in Cuba and causing flooding in parts of Florida. Forecasters said it could drop 1 to 2 inches of rain from late Sunday into Monday. Alex reached tropical storm force after strengthening off Florida's east coast early Sunday, and was centered about 245 miles west of Bermuda late Sunday, with maximum sustained winds at around 70 mph, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. Bermuda's National Security Minister Michael Weeks said emergency services were monitoring the storm. Alex partially emerged from the remnants of Hurricane Agatha, which made landfall on Mexico’s southern Pacific Coast last week, killing at least nine people as it moved overland.

78th anniversary of the historic D-Day operation of World War II

Monday marks the 78th anniversary of the historic D-Day operation. In the midst of World War II on June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France. More than 156,000 troops, notably from the United States, Britain and Canada, confronted Nazi forces, forever reshaping the war, according to the Department of Defense. D-Day began the assault phase (codenamed Operation Neptune) of the wider Allied invasion of northwest Europe led by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, known as Operation Overlord. The exact number of people killed in the fighting is unknown, but research by the U.S. National D-Day Memorial Foundation estimates that there were over 4,000 Allied deaths and between 4,000 and 9,000 German losses on D-Day. More than 100,000 Allied and German soldiers died during the full Battle at Normandy and around 20,000 French civilians were reportedly killed in the bombings.

Apple expected to unveil iOS 16 changes at WWDC

Tech giant Apple will host a virtual keynote for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, and iPhone users are likely to get a first glimpse of how their device will change this fall. The next software update, tentatively called iOS 16, will introduce a new look and feel to all iPhones. Bloomberg reported the Messages and Health apps could see changes, along with enhancements to the lock screen. It's an open question whether much older models going back to the iPhone 6S, which launched nearly seven years ago, will still run the latest version of iOS. Apple will also likely unveil new versions of its operating systems for iPads and Apple Watches.

NHL's Western Conference final Game 4 on Monday

The Colorado Avalanche could become the first team to clinch a spot in the NHL's Stanley Cup Final when they visit the Edmonton Oilers in Game 4 on Monday. The Avalanche, who haven’t been to the Final since winning the Cup in 2001, lead the best-of-seven Western Conference final 3-0. The Avalanche will be without No. 2 center Nazem Kadri, who was injured on a boarding penalty by Edmonton’s Evander Kane in Game 3 and has been ruled out for the rest of the series. The Oilers will be without Kane, the league's leading playoff goal scorer, on Monday after he was suspended for one game. If the Oilers fail to advance, it would extend Canada’s futility in the playoffs. The 1993 Montreal Canadiens were the last Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup. The winner of the Western final will face either the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning or the New York Rangers in the championship round. The Rangers lead the Eastern final 2-1.

Western Conference final: Avalanche beat Oilers to go up 3-0

Contributing: The Associated Press

D-Day, Trump, West Point and Marcia Cross: Thursday's top news

World War II remembrances commemorated D-Day's 75th anniversary. And in another 75 years, humanity may not be here. It's Thursday. Here's the top news.

But first, a five-star flight: Uber will launch "Uber Copters" in New York City this summer, lifting passengers from Manhattan to John F. Kennedy International Airport. No word on whether the choppers will have USB ports for your phone.

A 97-year-old D-Day veteran parachutes into Normandy again

Tributes abound on the 75th anniversary of the D-Day operation, when Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France in World War II. From Bedford, Virginia, home of the National D-Day Memorial, to Normandy, where President Donald Trump offered remarks along with French President Emmanuel Macron, the legacy of D-Day carries on. Not to be outdone, a 97-year-old veteran parachuted into Normandy again to commemorate. "You are among the very greatest Americans who will ever live," Trump told 170 WWII veterans at a ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial. To mark the historic day, here are 17 photos that show how D-Day went down.

Apocalypse now – well, in 31 years

The end of the world might start sooner than we expected. According to an alarming Australian policy paper, if humans don’t get their act together and start handling climate change and stop emitting greenhouse gasses, we could see irreversible damage by 2050. If the temperature rises the way the report imagines, the globe could shift into catastrophic changes in weather patterns, agriculture and habitability, resulting in constant political panic – or an end-of-days type of situation. To stop it, we need to stop burning fossil fuels. Luckily, renewable energy prices are dropping, and the conversation is shifting.

An accidental death at West Point

At West Point, on the 75th anniversary of D-Day, one cadet was dead and 21 others were injured after a training exercise. The accident occurred early Thursday near Camp Natural Bridge, a site not far from the military academy's main campus, when a tactical vehicle rolled. It's not the first death for West Point this year: Cadet Peter Zhu died after a skiing accident in March. His story made headlines when his parents won the right to his frozen sperm in court.

Real quick:

'Desperate Housewives' star: A rectal exam saved my life

"Desperate Housewives" star Marcia Cross on Wednesday detailed her shocking anal cancer diagnosis a year and a half ago, which she recently discovered could be linked to her husband's battle with throat cancer in 2009. The revelation came during an exam at a regular gynecologist visit, Cross told CBS, when the doctor found a cancerous mass in her anus. She said doctors think her anal cancer and husband Tom Mahoney's throat cancer came from the same type of human papillomavirus, commonly called HPV, which can be transferred through sexual intercourse or skin-to-skin contact. Cross and Mahoney are both in remission.

News flash: The HPV vaccine helps prevent cervical, anal, penile, vulvar, throat and esophageal cancers. Here's what you need to know about it.

FCC says buh-bye to robocallers

Get ready to cut robocallers out of your life, period. The Federal Communications Commission passed a bill Thursday that lets phone companies block bot calls before they get to your home phone or mobile device. The bill comes after a proposal that would drastically raise the amount of robocalls. It's gotten a lot of flak from senators, who called on the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau to reconsider the proposal that would let debt robocalls run wild with unlimited e-mails and texts and seven calls a week.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this snappy news roundup in your inbox every night? Sign up for "The Short List" newsletter here.

D-Day victory dominated front page of News Journal 75 years ago

MANSFIELD - There was no doubt in readers' minds when they picked up their newspapers on June 6, 1944, that the Allied forces had been successful on the beaches of Normandy.

Thursday marks the 75th anniversary of that fateful day, which saw nearly 20,000 combined casualties from both sides.

"Allies invade France," the front page of the Mansfield News Journal screamed. "Allies secure beachheads in Normandy, slash inland."

Newspaper staffers placed a large map of northern Europe on the front page that day, showing the allied progress through France. The image noted that more landings were expected along the beach throughout the week.

"Readers will undoubtedly find the map a good one to save to check the progress of the invasion," a caption below read.

Readers quickly learned that 4,000 planes and 11,000 ships had been used in the attack, which was history's largest combined invasion by air, sea and land. More than 150,000 soldiers from the United States, Canada and Britain stormed the Nazi-occupied beaches of France, pushing German troops back to their homeland to form a clear turning point in the World War II.

Reports of Allied success in the war dominated headlines the entire week.

Although there were victories, they were solemn.

"City takes invasion with calm, prayer, determination," one local headline read. It was written by Virgil Stanfield, then a News Journal reporter.

Stanfield wrote that Mansfield residents took the news calmly that morning, "then went back to work with a new determination to do more at home to make the task less difficult for their sons, husbands, and brothers who are swarming the French coast under Nazi fire."

"There was none of the cheering and bell-ringing that will herald the victory every American knows will come," Stanfield wrote. "Certainly every Mansfielder thought 'This is the beginning of the end for the Nazis,' but he knew victory will be costly in lives."

He wrote that since the news broke before dawn, "thousands of Mansfielders didn't know about it until they went to work and bought a News Journal extra."

The day was one filled with prayer, the paper explained. The doors of churches throughout town were open that day, allowing anyone to visit and pray.

The day's news included a report that Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower warned his troops against forcing a premature uprising.

"The day will come when I shall need your united strength," Eisenhower said. "Until that day, I shall call on you for the hard task of discipline and restraint... follow the instructions of your leaders... be patient. Prepare."

Many of the day's articles did their best to set up the day's events for readers. They made clear that the 17-mile German front was broken and confused.

"In a blasting herald of the invasion, the British bomber command sent more than 1,300 of its biggest ships roaring across the channel last night and early today in the heaviest aerial attack ever aimed at German batteries along the French coast," one article explained.

The newspaper even left a little room to report the invasion weather: "Slightly showery weather prevailed in the Dover Straits today, followed by sunshine. Heavy cloud banks later developed and the outlook was unsettled. The sea was moderate with visibility good and improving. The temperature hovered around 60 degrees."

ztuggle@gannett.com

419-564-3508

Twitter: @zachtuggle

D-Day World War II: 5 things about the allies' invasion of Normandy

The 75th anniversary of World War II’s D-Day is June 6, commemorating the largest invasion by air, land and sea in history.

More than 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers from the United States, Britain and Canada stormed the Nazi-occupied French beaches of Normandy in a surprise attack.

Major events are planned to commemorate the anniversary of the invasion, including at the Normandy beaches and cliffs where the battles took place.

Here are five things you should know:

Who led the mission?

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded the Allied Expeditionary Forces during D-Day, known then as Operation Overlord. The highly coordinated and secretive mission included a last-minute weather delay and attempts to throw Germans off course. Eisenhower would go on to become the 34th president of the United States.

“You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months,” Eisenhower wrote in an encouraging message to his troops. “The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you.”

75th D-Day anniversary a special one:The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

How long did it last?

Following the mass casualties of D-Day, the battles of Normandy continued for roughly three more months, until Allied troops had pushed all the way to the Seine River and liberated Paris from Nazi control. Less than a year after D-Day, Adolf Hitler committed suicide and Nazi Germany surrendered.

'Woo-hoo!':D-Day veteran, 97, parachutes into Normandy again – 75 years later

How many people were killed?

More than 4,000 Allied soldiers, most of them younger than 20 years old, died in the June 6, 1944 invasion. Up to 20,000 French civilians were reportedly killed in the bombings. More than 4,000 German troops died, and ultimately, the invasion is credited with changing the course of the war and ultimately pushing Nazi troops back to Germany.

How many WWII veterans are left?

About 496,777 of the 16 million Americans who served in WWII were still living as of September 2018, according to projections by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. An estimated 348 WWII veterans die every day in the U.S. A decade from now, it’s estimated that fewer than 20,000 WWII veterans will remain.

More:Restored WWII aircraft from the U.S. to commemorate 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy

What does the ‘D’ stand for?

The ‘D’ in D-Day simply stands for ‘day.’ The term D-Day is used to identify the start date of a military invasion, according to the National D-Day Memorial Foundation. H-Hour represents the hour an operation is set to begin.

According to a reconstructed timeline of veteran accounts, thousands of paratroopers dropped in just after midnight. As aircraft continued bombing targets, Navy ships started firing just before 6 a.m., and troops invaded on foot soon after.

Donovan Slack contributing. This is an updated version of a story originally published in June 2018.

This day in history — June 6

Associated Press

Today’s highlight in history

On June 6, 1944, during World War II, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy, France, on “D-Day” as they began the liberation of German-occupied Western Europe.

On this date

In 1844, the Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in London.

In 1925, Walter Percy Chrysler founded Chrysler Corp.

In 1933, the first drive-in movie theater was opened by Richard Hollingshead in Camden County, N.J. (The movie shown was “Wives Beware,” starring Adolphe Menjou.)

RELATED:Looking back at the rise, and fall, of Milwaukee's first drive-in movie theater

In 1966, black activist James Meredith was shot and wounded as he walked along a Mississippi highway to encourage black voter registration.

In 1977, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a Louisiana law imposing an automatic death sentence on defendants convicted of the first-degree murder of a police officer.

In 1982, Israeli forces invaded Lebanon to drive Palestine Liberation Organization fighters out of the country. (The Israelis withdrew in June 1985.)

In 1994, President Bill Clinton joined leaders from America’s World War II allies to mark the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

Ten years ago: Bob Barker taped his last episode as host of CBS’ “The Price Is Right.”

Five years ago: Business social network LinkedIn reported that some of its users’ passwords had been stolen and leaked onto the Internet.

One year ago: A jury in Los Angeles returned a death sentence for Lonnie Franklin Jr., the serial killer known as the “Grim Sleeper” who murdered nine women and a teenage girl over several decades.

Associated Press

QUOTE UNQUOTE

"I call upon all who love freedom to stand with us."

Dwight D. Eisenhower,

Supreme commander of the Allied forces landing on the coast of France on June 6, 1944, in a speech broadcast to Western Europe

D-Day: Photos from Normandy to mark 75th anniversary of D-Day ...

On June 6, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, forever reshaping the progress of the war and history during the D-Day operation.

Thousands of ships, planes and soldiers from the United States, Britain and Canada surprised Nazi forces.

More than 4,000 Allied soldiers, most of them younger than 20, as well as more than 4,000 German troops died in the invasion. Up to 20,000 French civilians were also reportedly killed in the bombings.

In 2019, veterans and world leaders gathered to honor the soldiers who took part in the invasion, led by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and known then as Operation Overlord.

To mark the historic day, here are 17 photos that show how the battle unfolded.

Contributing: Shelby Fleig, USA TODAY. Follow USA TODAY's Ryan Miller on Twitter: @RyanW_Miller

World War II planes fly to D-Day Normandy invasion 75th anniversary

A contingent of World War II-era aircraft left the United States on May 19 to make the trek to Normandy for the 75th D-Day anniversary on June 6.

A group of more than a dozen aircraft from the D-Day Squadron – which includes restored Douglas DC-3 and C-47 planes – is expected to fly in formation with counterparts from across Europe in a historic crossing of the English Channel into Normandy, France.

Eric Zipkin, a founder of the squadron who spoke to USA TODAY before the trip began, said the effort has been five years in the making. He said the contingent that will participate in "Daks Over Normandy" includes 15 planes with pilots and crew from across the United States.

They flew from Connecticut to Canada, then over to Greenland, Iceland and Scotland before making their way to England on what's known as the Blue Spruce Route across the Atlantic. The journey was expected to cost roughly $150,000 per aircraft for fuel and other support expenses.

Zipkin, whose father served in World War II, is piloting a C-47 named “Placid Lassie.” He said flying the plane, which was flown in the Normandy invasion and has been restored, is how he connects with the sacrifices veterans and their families made and make every day.

“You know, the important lesson to me about World War II is that so much of our country was involved with the war effort,” Zipkin said. “Today it's a much, much smaller percentage of our population that are involved in the military.

Related:Veterans struggle to save World War II ships

“And as a result, there's a large swath of our country that does not understand,” he said. “And myself included, not being a veteran myself, it's taken this experience for me to really understand and appreciate the sacrifices.”

The D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, was the largest by air, land and sea in history and involved more than 150,000 troops from the United States, Britain and Canada who stormed the Nazi-occupied French beaches of Normandy. The invasion is credited with changing the course of the war and ultimately pushing Nazi troops back to Germany.

75th D-Day anniversary a special one:The Pieper twins are finally together in Normandy

World War II D-Day:Five things to know on the 75th anniversary of the Normandy landings

Zipkin and some of the other pilots expected for the anniversary flights in Normandy participated in a flyover in Frederick, Maryland, before embarking on the trip. Joe Fisher, pilot of the C-47 “Flabob Express,” said at the event that he has been “flying warbirds” for 25 years but had never been to Normandy and jumped at the chance when learned two years ago about the formation heading there for the 75th D-Day anniversary.

“I think we were the first airplane to say, ‘yes, we’re going,’” he said. “At that point we started working on the airplane to prepare it. (It’s) just truly an honor to go to Normandy and honor our D-Day veterans. They were truly the greatest generation.”

The pilots were joined in Frederick by a parachuting demonstration team from the United States that will jump from the vintage planes in Normandy with period gear and uniforms in a tribute to the D-Day paratroopers.

Retired Lt. Col. David Accetta, a 25-year Army veteran who served with the 82nd Airborne Division, has been jumping with the Liberty Jump Team since its inception in 2006.

He said more than 100 members will make the Normandy jump, ranging in age from the 20's to their 70's, many of whom were not military veterans, but are “qualified, adventurous people…who are dedicated and are willing to help us with our mission of honoring the veterans,” Accetta said.

For Accetta, making the magnitude of the WWII victory real for Americans today is his mission with the team.

“This is the 75th anniversary, so you've got to expect that a lot of these veterans are well into their 80's and 90's now, so there's not that many of them left, especially who are able to travel, but what they did was so important for the world and for the free world as we know it today, that we want to make sure that people understand how they helped win World War II,” he said.

“You go to France and you go to Holland and the countries that the allies liberated and the people there, they remember the sacrifices and they remember the service of these paratroopers who came to liberate them from the Nazis, but you don't get that same appreciation here in the United States,” Accetta said. “So we want to make sure that we can help educate the American public on how important a role these great Americans played in history.”

Code name for D-Day? Facts about the invasion

The 75th anniversary of World War II’s D-Day is June 6, commemorating the largest invasion by air, land and sea in history.

More than 5,000 ships, 11,000 airplanes and 150,000 soldiers from the United States, Britain and Canada stormed the Nazi-occupied French beaches of Normandy in a surprise attack.

Major events are planned to commemorate the anniversary of the invasion, including at the Normandy beaches and cliffs where the battles took place.

Here are five things you should know:

Fact about D-day

D-Day was the largest amphibious (land and water) invasion in history. More than 13,000 aircraft and 5,000 ships supported the operation.

What was the code name for the D-day invasion?

The code name for the invasion was Operation Overlord.

More:An El Paso World War II veteran who took part in D-Day, will be honored with a monument

General Dwight D. Eisenhower commanded the operation

Plans were made to land in Normandy June 5, 1944, but bad weather delayed the launch date of the invasion to June 6.

The "D" stands for Day, btw

D-Day is code for the day the attack was to begin. One reason was to keep the actual date out of the hands of the enemy; another was to serve as a placeholder until a date was chosen. They also used H-Hour for the time of the invasion..

Codename for D-day

Code names for the five beaches where the Allies landed: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword.

More:Macron helps veteran to his feet, Trump gets a salute: Key moments from Trump's D-Day address in Normandy

Trish Long is the El Paso Times' librarian and spends her time in the morgue, where the newspaper keeps its old clippings and photos. She may be reached at 546-6179 or tlong@elpasotimes.com.

Mass shootings continue, Apple to unveil iphone updates; 5 Things ...

On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: 6 dead, 25 wounded in Philadelphia, Chattanooga shootings

Reporter Ryan Miller also talks about this year's wave of gun violence. Plus, we look back at D-Day, investigative reporter Rachel Axon tells producer PJ Elliott about some schools' failures to live up to Title IX and Apple is set to unveil its latest iPhone software.

More:True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here.

Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Taylor Wilson:

Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Monday, the 6th of June, 2022. Today, more mass shootings, plus 78 years since D-Day, and more.

Here are some of the top headlines:

British defense authorities say Russia is tightening its advance on Ukraine's Eastern Donbas region, and most recently blew up bridges and shelled apartments in the city of Severodonetsk. The US is sending a new security package to Ukraine with four sophisticated medium-range rocket systems. Tropical storm Alex became the first named storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season yesterday. It's forecast to pass just north of Bermuda today after killing three people in Cuba. The NBA finals are now all tied up at one game apiece. The Golden State Warriors smashed the Boston Celtics 107 to 88 last night. Game three shifts to Boston on Wednesday.

♦

Police were hunting for multiple gunman yesterday after a shooting rampage on a crowded Philadelphia street killed three people and injured eleven. This witness described the scene.

Witness to Philadelphia Shooting:

I just saw people running, and so my main job was to make sure that nobody ran into the establishment.

Taylor Wilson:

Hours later, a shooting at a Tennessee nightclub left three dead and fourteen injured in Chattanooga. One of the deaths involved a person hit by a vehicle during a scramble after the shooting started just before 3:00 AM. And in Socorro, Texas, police are investigating a shooting that left five injured at a graduation party.

In Philadelphia, authorities said there appeared to be multiple gunmen, and that a physical altercation may have led to gunfire. And in Tennessee, authorities also believe there were multiple shooters, but police said there was not an ongoing public-safety threat.

♦

This year has already seen a wave of high-profile, deadly mass shootings across the country. 5 Things producer PJ Elliott spoke with reporter Ryan Miller about what we've learned from America's latest gun violence.

Ryan Miller:

There was a shooting on Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which marked what was the 12th mass killing in the United States in 2022. That's according to a database that USA TODAY, the Associated Press, and Northeastern University keep. That database tracks what are defined as 'mass killings', which mean four or more people have been killed, and that includes all forms of violence, not only guns. So, it's more restrictive of a definition in some senses, but less restrictive in others.

When it comes specifically to mass shootings, which the Gun Violence Archive tracks and defines as four or more people shot or killed, 2021 saw the highest number of mass shootings of any year since 2014. That was 692. The Gun Violence Archive has been tracking this stat for several years now. It's essentially only been increasing in recent years.

In 2020, there were 610 mass shootings. In 2019, there were 417 mass shootings, but between 2014 and 2018, it was averaging around 334 mass shootings a year. So, the data shows that these mass shooting incidents, in which four more people are shot or killed, are rising, but the mass killing database that USA TODAY, and the AP, and Northeastern keep has largely remained constant at about 30 or so a year.

PJ Elliott:

What can you tell us about what we're learning about these mass shootings? Are they pre-planned? Are they spontaneous? What have we learned over the course of time?

Ryan Miller:

Yeah. Professor James Alan Fox who's with Northeastern University, he's a criminologist and he's been helping keep this database. According to him, most of these shootings are not spontaneous acts. Often, shooters have a deliberate plan in mind.

There is another database maintained by The Violence Project, which tracks the details around the mass shooters themselves. In more than 80% of cases, they found that mass shooters had some noticeable form of crisis before their attacks. In most cases, that manifested in some form of increased agitation. The other thing that they found, which has been widely reported before, but just reaffirming, is that the vast majority of mass shooters are men. They found only four instances in which a mass shooter was a woman.

Taylor Wilson:

USA TODAY subscribers can find a link to Ryan's full story in today's episode description.

♦

Today marks 78 years since D-Day.

Radio Announcer in 1944:

The procession of surface vessels of the invasion fleet... battleships, cruisers, destroyers, transports... stretches for miles.

Taylor Wilson:

In the midst of World War II, on June 6th, 1944, Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in Nazi occupied France. More than 156,000 troops - notably from the US, Britain, and Canada - confronted Nazi forces, reshaping the rest of the war. D-Day set the stage for the assault phase of a wider Allied invasion of Northwest Europe.

The exact number of people killed in D-Day fighting is unknown, but research from the US National D-Day Memorial Foundation estimates there were more than 4,000 Allied deaths and between 4,000 and 9,000 German losses on D-Day. Additionally, more than a 100,000 Allied and German forces died during the Battle of Normandy, and some 20,000 French civilians were killed in associated bombings. On the 75th anniversary, Frank DeVita told the AP about his experience on D-Day.

Frank DeVita:

At four o'clock in the morning, they dropped our boats, so we started towards the beach for two hours. Then when we got probably, I would say, 200 to 300 yards from the beach, the Germans opened up with their big guns.

Taylor Wilson:

Frank died this past March at the age of 96. For more, search 'D-Day' on USATODAY.com.

♦

Title IX. The landmark law bans sexual discrimination in education, but a USA TODAY investigation has found that colleges and universities are still failing to live up to the law's promise. Producer PJ Elliott caught up with USA TODAY's sports investigative reporter, Rachel Axon, to find out more.

Rachel Axon:

Yeah, what we found in our reporting is consistent with trends people had told us about. The undergraduate enrollment at the biggest colleges, and most colleges actually, skews more female than the athletic department, which tends to be the opposite. So, one way that schools can measure compliance with Title IX is by proportionality, which means your share of the athletic opportunities should be roughly close to the share of your undergraduate enrollment. If your school is 55% female undergrads, then your athletic opportunities should look something like that.

We sought to examine the biggest college programs athletically. So, we did Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision schools. And of the 127 we reviewed, we found that 87% of those could not meet the proportionality standard, and that 110 schools collectively would need to add 11,501 opportunities for women to get there.

PJ Elliott:

How long has this been going on, and what can be done to fix it?

Rachel Axon:

Well, there's a couple of things. We're working... this is part of a series of stories that we're doing in the lead-up to the anniversary of Title IX. The 50th anniversary is later this month in June. It's gone on for so long, it's a trend that's happened over time. There's been years and whole decades where there's not much enforcement of the law. This is one of three ways that schools can show compliance regarding participation opportunities. Although we found, on the other two, there's some difficulty there as well. This is the status quo of what it's been. Athletic departments before Title IX were made for men's sports, and have grown to expand to include women's sports. But if you look at the priorities of these athletic programs, it's typically the most on one or two sports for men, football and basketball. Then, some women's sports are among their top-tier ones, but not nearly the same numbers. As that focus has remained there in athletic departments, the trends in enrollment have shifted to where women used to be, when Title IX passed, a minority of students, as in less than 50%, but now are often above 50%. Some of the schools we looked at, they were 60%.

What could fix this? That's part of our ongoing reporting, but from the people that we talked to, greater enforcement. Unfortunately for some of these women, the Department of Education is not well-resourced, or able to very quickly respond to these problems. So, litigation has been a more successful avenue. So, enforcement by some means maybe something that would help with this.

Taylor Wilson:

You can find the full investigation with a link in today's show description.

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Apple is hosting a virtual keynote for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference today, and iPhone users will likely get a first glimpse of how their device will change this fall. The next software update, tentatively called iOS 16, will introduce a new look and feel to the phones, according to the company. Bloomberg reported that the messages and health apps will see changes, along with upgrades to the lock screen, though it's still not clear whether much older models, dating back to the iPhone 6s which launched nearly seven years ago, will still run the latest version of iOS. Apple will likely also unveil new versions of operating systems for iPads and Apple Watches. You can watch on Apple.com or YouTube at 1:00 PM Eastern, 10:00 AM Pacific.

And you can find 5 Things seven mornings a week right here, wherever you're listening right now. Thanks to PJ Elliott for his great work on the show, and I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY.