The PGA Tour’s “strategic alliance” with the DP World Tour seemed on thin ice after Wednesday’s presser where Jay Monahan did not include them in his opening remarks.
But a day after it was expected, the Tour formerly known as European fined defectors to LIV Golf and will not allow them to play in three upcoming co-sanctioned events with the PGA Tour, including the prestigious Genesis Scottish Open.
A Press Association piece noted this distinction between the Tours (on top of announcing fine amounts), which could suggest the Europeans are buying time while negotiating with LIV’s Saudi sugar daddies.
While the PGA Tour immediately indefinitely banned all their members within minutes of the players teeing off at Centurion Club a fortnight ago the DP World Tour delayed making a decision until now.
Pelley consulted the organisation’s wider membership before the decision was taken to sanction the involved players, who in addition to the Scottish Open - traditionally used as a warmup for the Open Championship the following week - have also been banned from PGA Tour co-sanctioned Barbasol Championship and the Barracuda Championship next month.
The full release:
DP WORLD TOUR CONFIRMS MEMBER SANCTIONS
The DP World Tour today confirmed the sanctions to be taken against members who breached Tour regulations and participated in a LIV Golf event at Centurion Club from June 9-11, despite not having received releases to allow them to do so.
Such actions contravened the conflicting event Regulation laid down in the Members’ General Regulations Handbook as well as the Code of Behaviour Regulation, of which the members have been reminded on a number of recent occasions, and has led the Tour to take the following steps, which have been notified to all members concerned.
They will be fined £100,000*
They have been advised that they are suspended from participating in the following DP World Tour tournaments - the Genesis Scottish Open and Barbasol Championship (July 7-10) and the Barracuda Championship (July 14-17) and have been removed from the entry lists of these events where applicable.
It is important to note that participation in a further conflicting tournament or tournaments without the required release may incur further sanctions.
*Money raised from the fines will be shared equally in two distinct ways; (i) it will be added to prize funds of upcoming tournaments on the DP World Tour, to the benefit of Members of the DP World Tour who have complied with the Release rules and (ii) it will be distributed through the Tour’s Golf for Good programme to deserving charitable causes in the communities that the DP World Tour plays.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, said: “Every action anyone takes in life comes with a consequence and it is no different in professional sport, especially if a person chooses to break the rules. That is what has occurred here with several of our members.
“Many members I have spoken to in recent weeks expressed the viewpoint that those who have chosen this route have not only disrespected them and our Tour, but also the meritocratic ecosystem of professional golf that has been the bedrock of our game for the past half a century and which will also be the foundation upon which we build the next 50 years.
“Their actions are not fair to the majority of our membership and undermine the Tour, which is why we are taking the action we have announced today.”