LIV Golf trio ineligible for Ryder Cup after quitting DP World Tour

Ryder Cup icons Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia have officially ruled themselves out of the showpiece event in Italy this year after resigning their DP World Tour memberships. Between those three, they’ve played in 28 Ryder Cups and were honorary lifetime members of the DP World Tour.

They were among the group of LIV defectors who were handed £100,000 fines from the Tour for appearing in the breakaway league’s opening tournament last year without being given permission. A tribunal ultimately sided with the DP World Tour, ordering the fines to be paid within 30 days.

That deadline was for May 3 and the Telegraph report Westwood paid up his fine, but he was also one of several players to hand in his membership card in an apparent act of protest against the Tour’s officials. A statement read: “The DP World Tour today confirmed it has received membership resignations from Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland and Lee Westwood who were sanctioned for serious breaches of the Tour’s Conflicting Tournament Regulation committed last June.

“The DP World Tour would like to take this opportunity to thank the four players for the contribution they have made to the Tour and in particular to Sergio, Ian and Lee for the significant part they have played in Europe’s success in the Ryder Cup over many years. Their resignations, however, along with the sanctions imposed upon them, are a consequence of their own choices.

“As we have consistently maintained throughout the past year, the Tour has a responsibility to its entire membership to administer the member regulations which each player signs up to. These regulations are in place to protect the collective interests of all DP World Tour members.

“The independent panel appointed by Sport Resolutions recognised this, determining that our Conflicting Tournament Regulation and its application in the circumstances did not go beyond what was necessary and proportionate to the Tour’s continued operation as a professional golf tour and that we have a legitimate interest in protecting the rights of our full membership by enforcing it. A further update on other sanctioned members will be provided on Thursday.”

Source: Read Full Article