What is the LIV Invitational Golf Series?

The LIV Invitational Golf Series will get underway this weekend, as some of the best golfers from across the planet touch down in London for the inaugural event in the brand new golf league.

Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Sergio Garcia are among the names to make the controversial decision to step away from the PGA Tour and declare their participation in the competition.

But what exactly is the LIV Golf Invitational Series? And how does it differ from the PGA and European Tours?

What is the LIV Golf Invitational Series?

The LIV Golf Invitation Series is a brand-new golf league, which is looking to rival the established PGA Tour and European Tour with a new-look format that the organisers declare will "supercharge the game of golf".

To date, there are eight events that are scheduled to take place in the first season of the LIV Golf Invitational Series, with the first due to begin this week in London, England.

LIV Golf Invitational: Key Format Differences

There are a number of key differences in the format of the LIV Golf Invitational Series compared to the PGA Tour and the European Tour.

They are as follows:

Fewer Players

Just 48 players will take part in the first season of the LIV Golf Invitational.

Fewer Rounds

There will be just three rounds per event as opposed to the four rounds which are standard practice on the PGA and European Tour circuits.

No Cut

There will be no cut lines in the LIV Invitational Golf Series. This means that every player participating will play the same number of holes throughout the season.

Shotgun Starts

The 48 participants will be split into groups and tee off simultaneously from all 18 holes on the golf course.

The standard practice on the PGA and European Tours is that players will be split into two waves and tee off in intervals from the first and tenth tees.

Individual & Team Prizes

There will be both an individual and a team event in the LIV Invitational Series.

The team event will consist of eight teams of four, with the teams decided via an NFL-style draft prior to the first round in London this week.

There will be two separate prize pots, one for the individual competition and one for the team competition.