Could the DP World Tour inflict more financial punishment on LIV Golf players?
17 players, bar one, were asked and obliged in parting company with $100,000 as punishment for playing in the LIV Golf League.
But, is the DP World Tour finished there?
According to the Telegraph, the DP World Tour could yet administer unprecedented fines of up to $500,000 if its members continue to play on the Saudi-backed circuit without permission.
Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Richard Bland have resigned their memberships, but will the likes of Henrik Stenson, Paul Casey, Martin Kaymer, and Graeme McDowell follow suit?
South Africans Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace, both winners on the LIV Golf tour, are allegedly on the verge of handing in their cards.
Having won the right to impose fines via an arbitration hearing in London, the tour could demand more fine payments from players participating in all of the LIV tournaments since the opener at Centurion Club last June.
The tour will weigh up whether they want to endure more legal disputes, while they also prepare to take action against Garcia for showing no intent in paying his fine.
One unnamed figure close to the LIV camp reported the fines could be “eye-watering” and continually increasing if DP World Tour members keep playing as part of Greg Norman’s roster – potentially reaching the $1 million mark.
LIV has reportedly coughed up $700,000 to cover a chunk of the fines owed to the DP World Tour, but it’s not confirmed which players were included in this transaction.
These are the first financial sanctions imposed on LIV rebels since its inception. The PGA Tour simply suspended them and commissioner Jay Monahan has verbally shut all pathways back to the circuit.
Lee Westwood has since said “It was time to move on” following the Sports Resolutions UK verdict, while Rory McIlroy said it was a shame Westwood, Poulter, and Garcia won’t be involved in the Ryder Cup in any capacity again.
“For those three guys to not captain Europe one day, it’s a shame,” McIlroy said.
“At the end of the day that was their choice and they knew these were potentially going to be the consequences of those choices and of those actions and here we are. It’s certainly a shame.”
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spent time with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
