Dustin Johnson was one of the first notable players to join LIV Golf when it was formed. While it has brought him numerous benefits, both he and his wife, Paulina Gretzky, acknowledge that it hasn’t been without its challenges.

During that period, tensions ran high, and LIV Golf wasn’t viewed favorably at all. Those who chose to depart faced significant backlash, and Johnson was no exception to this, as he received death threats from people.

His wife Paulina Gretzky revealed (via The New York Post):

“People sending death threats and awful, awful, awful things. People were aggressive that’s for sure. But that’s when I shut it down for a little bit. I was like I don’t need to look at this. Everyone has an opinion on it. Fine.”
It was a controversial decision for Dustin Johnson to leave, and many fans felt at the time that it was actively fracturing the sport. They decided to express those frustrations toward the biggest golfer who’d transitioned, and he and his wife had to struggle through that.

Why did Dustin Johnson join LIV Golf?
Many have chosen to defect to LIV Golf for various reasons, with the schedule being a major factor for several. It’s known for being less demanding than the PGA Tour, which was significant for the Johnson family.

Paulina Gretzky said (via The New York Post):

“We have a little bit more time together now since things have changed a little, whereas before, it was like, go go go. We have more control now of how we do things. That old life that we had, I had to take a backseat, but now it feels like we’re in the front of the plane together flying. It was the right move.”
She added:

“I love traveling with Dustin, I love being there with him. We have fun we love being with each other. ‘I’m the girl saying my husband loves to hang out with me,’ ok, but that’s how I feel.”
That was an important distinction for the couple, especially after they got married in 2022. However, the money can’t be ignored here. LIV has more financial power than the PGA Tour, and they’ve been able to hand out massive signing bonuses.

Dustin Johnson himself signed for $150 million, which was twice as much as he’d earned in his lifetime on the PGA Tour. That, as well as the fact that even the most mediocre performance earns money on LIV, made a difference.