The LIV Tour is easy money for the 48 players who compete in its tournaments.

Dustin Johnson walked away with $4.75 million for winning the Sept. 2-4 tournament at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts, which is a Boston suburb. He had to play a 55th hole, on which he sunk an eagle putt, to capture that championship. It was his first pro tournament title in 19 months.

Johnson’s team also was victorious, meaning more money for Dustin. His LIV Tour earnings, not counting the huge bonus he received for signing with LIV, are now $9,962,500. That is for playing in four 54-hole tournaments.

The golf purists, who say that a professional tournament should be 72 holes, are mumbling about Johnson’s payday, claiming that it is not real golf unless there are four rounds. Would those same purists object to an offer of 10 times more money for doing the same job they do at present, and for 25% fewer work hours? Well, that is what many of the LIV Tour guys are getting, with an opportunity to play for even greater cash amounts with less work time.

Johnson’s prize in Boston was not as great as Rory McElroy’s FedEx championship payout of $18 million. But the $18 million that McElroy won was a once-a-year amount, with no other cash prizes even close to that figure. In fact, Johnson’s $4.75 million is more than any of the PGA Tour major tournament cash prizes.

Johnson, by the way, is No. 3 in all-time money-winning on the PGA Tour, with more than $74 million earned. Only Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have earned more than Johnson. He also reportedly got either $125 million or $150 million, depending on the source, for signing with the LIV Tour.

Then think about this. Mickelson finished in a tie for 40th place at The International, and remember that there was no cut, so everyone goes home with money. Mickelson made $136,000. Not a bad prize for mediocre golf, by professional standards.

Another noteworthy fact is that the last-place golfer, Wade Ormsby, 48th in the field, won $130,000.

The LIV Tour is at the halfway point of its eight-tournament season, having competed in greater Portland, Oregon; Bedminster, New Jersey; and greater Boston, plus an event in greater London, England. Upcoming is competition at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Prize, Illinois (greater Chicago), and in Bangkok Oct. 7-9.

Many readers probably know this, but the origin of the name “LIV” Tour is quite simple, when you think about it. “LIV” is the Roman numeral for “54,” which obviously is the number of holes played in a LIV tournament.

If this sounds like “stuff” from this writer’s warehouse of useless information, then so be it.

*****

In Charlie’s Cup standings through Sept. 6, among men, Don Flanagan of Springbrook is fifth with 49 points, and James Thombs of Bridgton Highlands is seventh with 43 points. There are 412 Maine golfers that have accrued men’s standings points.

Kathleen Rokowski of Spring Meadows is tied for second in the women’s standings, with 61 points.

*****

The Maine State Golf Association Senior Women’s Championship is Sept. 13-14 at Riverside North, with the MSGA Four-Ball Men’s Tournament scheduled for Sept. 17-18 at Rockland.

There will be no women’s play days during the week. The men’s play day is Sept. 13 at Old Marsh.

Bill Kennedy, a retired New Jersey golf writer and editor now residing on Thompson Lake in Otisfield, is in his 10th season as Sun Journal golf columnist.

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