LIV Golf Series stars have threatened the DP World Tour with legal action unless their sanctions imposed for competing in the first round of the lucrative Saudi-backed tour are dropped.
The highly-anticipated and controversial LIV Golf series made its debut at The Centurion Club in St Albans last month, with the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia headlining a mixed field in terms of big name pull and talent. Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters champion, secured a one-stroke victory and a £3.86 million payout - more than the £2.56 million awarded to Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick for securing the coveted US Open title.
Sixteen DP World Tour members, including Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, were each banned from next week’s Genesis Scottish Open as well as two other events co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour after the players took part at the inaugural LIV Golf event at The Centurion Club. They were also fined £100,000 for their participation without permission.
In an open letter published by The Telegraph, the affected players requested the DP World Tour to reconsider the penalties while suggesting the strengthened relationship between the PGA Tour and DP World Tour leaves the European competition playing ‘second fiddle’ to the iconic US-based circuit.
“In Mr Pelley's latest communication, he uses the statement that every action in life comes with a consequence,” the letter read. “We agree, and we are concerned that the actions of the Tour against us, LIV Golf and golf in general will have adverse consequences on the DP World Tour, a tour and an organisation that, despite our recent interactions, we care deeply for.
“The intention of this letter is not to further divide us, but to respond to Tour statements and to pose questions that the Tour should answer and we should discuss in detail. Instead of spending our time, energy, financial resources and focus on appeals, injunctions, and lawsuits, we would implore you, the custodians of the DP World Tour, to reconsider your recent penalties and sanctions, and instead
focus our energies on forging a path forward that is better for the DP World Tour members and the game of golf.
“To this end, we ask that you rescind your fines and suspensions by 5pm on Friday, July 1, 2022. In addition, we represent over five per cent of the DP World Tour membership and, under its articles of association, we ask you to convene a meeting of Tour membership to discuss these important matters further.
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“If not, you will leave us with no choice but to employ the various other means and methods at our disposal to rectify these wrongs.”
A DP World Tour spokesperson confirmed that the letter had been received and said an official response would be released on Friday amid the second LIV Golf event in Portland. The field showcases nine of the last 21 major winners, four former World No. 1 players and nearly half of the field currently ranked int he top 100.
Players will compete in golf’s most exciting new format for £20 million and the chance to become the second individual and team champions for LIV Golf. The Saudi-backed LIV series is the most lucrative golf tournament in history; the lucrative eight-event series, which is funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), has a prize pot of just over £200m for 2022, while an extra £1.6 billion has reportedly been secured to expand the event to a 14-event league by 2024.
