Berry Henson eyes 'big ticket' with $25m Liv Golf spot up for grabs

American Berry Henson has his sights on the “big ticket” as he uses this week’s £230,000 Farmfoods Scottish Challenge as a warm up for a crack at $25 million next month.

The 42-year-old is in the field for next week’s Asian Tour International Series event at Slaley Hall, where, through a partnership with Greg Norman’s LIV Golf, a $2m prize pot is up for grabs.

Former US Open champions Graeme McDowell and Michael Campbell are also listed in the line up at the Northumberland venue, where the winner will receive direct entry into the following week’s LIV Golf International at Centurion Club near St Albans.

That 54-hole tournament carries a whopping $25m prize fund, with the winner set to pick up a cheque for $4m.

Berry Henson during day two of the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge supported by The R&A at Newmachar Golf Club in Aberdeenshire. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images.

“That (Slaley Hall) is the reason I came over,” said Henson, a former Phillipine Open champion, after comfortably progressing to the weekend in the Farmfoods Scottish Challenge after back-to-back 70s at Newmachar in Aberdeenshire.

“This for me was the place to get ready for the Asian Tour event, the first ever played over here, and I’m really excited for it.

“I’m excited because with all the guys coming over, I’ve played here and I feel I might have a bit of an advantage. It’s a massive week on so many different levels, for Asian Tour players as well as myself.”

Henson’s career earnings over a decade on the DP World Tour total just over $300,000 and, though he’s played for bigger purses in the past than the one on offer at Slaley Hall, he sees this as a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make serious money.

“The exemptions into the LIV is the big ticket,” he added. “I’ve calculated that if you win next week it is like winning $1.4m because you’re in the LIV events for the remainder of the year. It’s an unbelievable opportunity for our membership and those playing.

“Everything I’ve done in the last two months is to peak going into that week and I feel like I’m in a really good spot to do that.”

LIV Golf has invested $300 million in the Asian Tour over the next 10 years to help it fund the International Series. “We’re creating opportunities for our members and this was an unbelievable opportunity to have. We couldn’t pass it up,” insisted Henson.

While players have had release requests for the LIV Golf events turned down by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, it seems that similar obstacles are not being put in the way for players further down the world rankings.

“I asked for a release from the DP World Tour and I was granted a release as long as I didn't get into the Porsche European Open, which I was not going to get,” said Henson, who, when giving a great account of himself in finishing joint-tenth in the Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews last summer, revealed he’d been driving Ubers to try and make ends meet.

“It’s interesting what will happen to the Hendys [Scott Hend], the Justin Hardings, the Wade Ormsbys. But guys in my situation, if you’re not in the main tour events, right now the DP World Tour will release you. I haven’t had an answer from them on the LIV event yet.”