Ian Poulter Amongst Three LIV Opponents to Get hold of Courtroom ‘Keep’ to Compete in Scottish Open
Meghann Showers
5 min read
Ian Poulter, Justin Harding from South Africa, and Adrian Otaegui from Spain received a keep on Monday from a British court docket permitting them to play within the Scottish Open—following suspension by the DP World Tour for taking part within the LIV Golf Sequence with out a launch from the European tour.
The three will now be included within the subject this week’s Scottish Open at The Renaissance Membership, the primary DP tour occasion co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour.
The momentary keep applies solely to the three gamers.
“My dedication to the European Tour has been there since day one,” mentioned Poulter. “And it’s nonetheless there at this time. I’m happy with enjoying so usually, when it was to the detriment of world rating factors and FedEx Cup factors I might have earned enjoying extra in America.”
Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood had been amongst 16 LIV Golf gamers who wrote to the DP World Tour requesting the rescission of suspensions of three tournaments on the DP Tour and fines of 100,000 kilos ($121,230), roughly the quantity of the last-place purse prize of LIV occasions.
Through the second LIV occasion at Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon, Westwood questioned why the DP Tour feels threatened.
“I’ve been enjoying Ryder Cup golf since 1997, and the factors has been to be a member of the European tour,” mentioned Westwood.
“The standards for being a member of European tour is to play 4 occasions,” added Westwood. “Why ought to they modify that now? I’ve been a member of the PGA Tour and nonetheless performed 4 occasions on the European tour.”
“Why would the European tour change their guidelines so dramatically?” posed Westwood. “As a result of one other tour [PGA] doesn’t prefer it or feels financially threatened. There’s only a bit an excessive amount of safety happening for my liking and never sufficient transparency.”
European tour CEO Keith Pelley offered a press release: “I’ll merely say we’re disillusioned by the end result of at this time’s listening to, however will abide by the choice. It is very important keep in mind, nonetheless, that is solely a keep of the sanctions imposed, pending the listening to of the gamers’ attraction as as to if these sanctions had been applicable.”
Pelley plans to offer a extra detailed response following Tuesday’s conclusion of the JP McManus Professional-Am in Eire, out of respect to the hosts, with a top-level subject included Tiger Woods, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, winner Xander Schauffele, and Poulter.
Final Friday Pelley issued a press release that included, “Earlier than becoming a member of LIV Golf, gamers knew there can be penalties in the event that they selected cash over competitors. Lots of them on the time understood and accepted that. Certainly, as one participant named within the letter mentioned in a media interview earlier this yr; ‘In the event that they ban me, they ban me.’ It’s not credible that some at the moment are stunned with the actions we now have taken.”
Early final week, the PGA Tour introduced a stronger, extra strong 13-year partnership with the DP World Tour.
The gamers acknowledged within the letter that the alliance would have a unfavorable impression on DP World Tour gamers.
“Roughly 40 DP World Tour members who would have been eligible for the Scottish Open on the DP World tour will no longer be eligible, and as an alternative will solely have the choice to go and play on the PGA Tour in Kentucky the week earlier than The Open, for much less cash however at the next value to take part.”
“That the DP World Tour prime performers will now earn PGA Tour playing cards serves solely to solidify the DP World Tour as second fiddle to the PGA Tour and depletes the DP World Tour’s prime rising expertise even additional,” the letter mentioned.
Pelley replied: “The letter claims that these gamers ‘care deeply’ for the DP World Tour. An evaluation of the previous participation statistics on our Tour in recent times of a number of of the main gamers named, suggests in any other case. One participant particularly named within the notice has solely performed six Rolex Sequence occasions prior to now 5 years. One other one, solely 4. I want lots of them had been as eager to play on our Tour then as they appear to be now, primarily based on the very fact they’ve both resigned their membership of the PGA Tour or, if they’re nonetheless in membership, have been suspended indefinitely.
“Moreover, given how deeply these gamers say they care in regards to the DP World Tour, maybe a few of them might have performed in Eire this week in help of our new title sponsor, particularly one participant who gave us a signed dedication to play at Mount Juliet. With that participant at present in motion at Pumpkin Ridge, you’ll be able to think about the allegation within the letter that we’re within the fallacious, is difficult to just accept.
“We additionally take nice exception to an allegation made close to the tip of the letter which states we’re one way or the other enjoying ‘second fiddle’ to the PGA Tour. Nothing might be farther from the reality,” added Pelley.
European Tour member, Branden Grace, received the $20 million purse on the second LIV occasion in Portland, Oregon final weekend. Grace led the S. African crew to second place in crew competitors that included Louis Oosthuizen, Hennnie du Plessis, and inaugural LIV winner Charl Schwartzel.
The crew purse of $5 million was received by the American crew “4 Aces” that included captain Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Talor Gooch, and Pat Perez.
Reuters and the Related Press contributed to this text.
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