Why are LIV golfers allowed to play on the DP World Tour this week?
Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann and Charl Schwartzel are part of a LIV Golf cohort playing on the DP World Tour this week…
A number of LIV Golf players will play on the DP World Tour this week.
Cameron Smith, Joaquin Niemann, Marc Leishman and Charl Schwartzel are among entries across the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and the Joburg Open.
These players made the controversial switch to LIV Golf in 2022 and were suspended by the PGA Tour.
Meanwhile, the DP World Tour also won an arbitration case which allowed it to fine a handful of players who moved to the Saudi-funded series.
The formerly-named European Tour has also threatened to punish players who compete in LIV Golf’s Q-school event.
So why are these players allowed to compete this week amongst the bad blood?
The LIV members playing this week aren’t members of the DP World Tour, so they have no outstanding sanctions.
They are also exempt under a number of different categories. The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship is an event sanctioned by the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia.
The LIV players who made the entry list are allowed to under criteria such as being a past champion and receiving invitations.
Smith and Jediah Morgan have both won this event in the past while Leishman and LIV reserve player Wade Ormsby received invitations.
The Joburg Open is a tournament sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour and will host former Masters champion Schwartzel who also won the first-ever LIV tournament at Centurion in June 2022.
Below are the players entered this week who appeared in the 48-man LIV Golf League in 2023 and their eligibility criteria are shown in brackets:
DP World Tour: LIV Golf entries in Australia and South Africa
Fortinet Australian PGA Championship
Cameron Smith (Former winner)
Jediah Morgan (Former winner)
Marc Leishman (Invitation)
Wade Ormsby (Invitation)
Joaquin Niemann (National spots)
Mito Pereira (National spots)
Laurie Canter (Finished between 117-123 in the 2023 Race to Dubai)
Joburg Open
Charl Schwartzel (National spots)
Branden Grace (National spots)
Dean Burmester (National spots)
NOW READ: It’s signed! LIV Golf launches first-ever transfer window
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What do you make of the LIV Golf players-DP World Tour conundrum? Should every golfer be able to play wherever they like? Tell us on X!
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.
