As contentious and controversial as ever, Saudi Arabia has once again become the centre of golf's universe.

The annual Saudi International is underway, boasting the strongest field it — or any Asian Tour event — has ever seen, but events on-course have very much taken a back seat to what is transpiring behind the scenes.

In many ways, the future of the professional game is being decided on and around the Kingdom's Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

There's a bit to break down.

Why is Saudi Arabia a major player in international golf?

Saudi influence in professional golf has been growing for some time, and is coming to a head with the creation of LIV Golf Investments and its partnership with the Asian Tour.

There are a couple of things to note about LIV Golf. Its chief executive is Greg Norman, and it is backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, whose ties to the Saudi government are difficult to debate.

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LIV Golf is bringing a series of events to the Asian Tour, and are hoping to lure some of the biggest names in the game with an unprecedented prize purse behind them.

As yet, no player has formally committed to the events, with some publicly stating they would not align themselves due to concerns with Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

Others, though, have been more evasive on the issue.

What's the deal with Phil Mickelson?

The six-time major winner is playing at the Saudi International currently, and during his pre-tournament media obligations started dropping bombs on the PGA Tour, the current home to the game's elite superstars.

His major grievance was about the PGA Tour's ownership of players' media rights, which Mickelson claims is worth "roughly $20 billion" all up and is reflective of the Tour's "obnoxious greed".

"I'm not sure how this is going to play out," Mickelson told Golf Digest.

"I don't know what is going to happen. I don't know where things are headed.

"The media rights are but a small fraction of everything else. And it is the tour's obnoxious greed that has really opened the door for opportunities elsewhere."

It's the closest a player has come to articulating the reason they would leave the PGA Tour and join Norman's LIV Golf events.

But it didn't go down well with everyone.

Brooks Koepka, an outspoken four-time major winner himself, was typically cutting in his reply to the news on Instagram.

"[Don't know] if I'd be using the word greedy if I'm Phil," Koepka wrote.

Have any other players been talking about the Saudi events?

Kinda, but not really.

But there seems like there is a pretty obvious reason for that.

When quizzed about signing on for the Saudi-backed events, Lee Westwood revealed that he had signed a non-disclosure agreement and couldn't answer any questions about it.

Similarly, Dustin Johnson was asked about the rumours of Ian Poulter being offered $US30 million to join the events and gave only a stuttering non-answer.

"Yeah, I'm sure they are, well, yeah, obviously whether they have or haven't, I'm not allowed to disclose," Johnson said.

"You'd have to ask Ian on that one."

Meanwhile, a report out of the UK has emerged, claiming Bryson DeChambeau had been offered an incredible $US150 million to sign on to the LIV Golf events.

DeChambeau's official Instagram account responded to the news with one word: "Wrong."

So what happens next?

LIV Golf recently announced the first event of what has been now named The International Series, to be held in Thailand from March 3, with another to be played in London in June.

It is unknown if or when LIV Golf will confirm the involvement of any players, but with tournaments on the horizon it's reasonable to suggest some news may be imminent.

For their part, the PGA Tour has threatened to ban players who breakaway to lucrative rival tours, but given these are officially Asian Tour events, those warnings hold little water.

For now, the Saudi International will be run and won this weekend and the sport's best will head back to the west coast of the US as the season heats up in preparation for April's Masters.

But the issues of control, wealth and player empowerment in golf will continue apace.

"The tour only understands leverage. And now the players are getting some of that," Mickelson said.

"So things are changing and will continue to change."