DP World Tour: LIV players to be fined and banned

The DP World Tour have confirmed that players who have joined LIV will be fined and suspended from future tournaments, including the Scottish Open in July.

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.”

More to follow…

McIlroy on ‘duplicitous’ LIV rebels | Monahan: We can’t win cash arms race

Rory McIlroy has labelled the players who have joined the LIV Golf Series “duplicitous” for the way they have handled their breakaway from the PGA Tour.

Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka is the latest big-name player to quit the PGA Tour to join the controversial breakaway series, joining the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.

Koepka has withdrawn from Thursday’s PGA Tour event, the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and will compete in the second LIV event in Portland next week. The 32-year-old’s decision comes after he seemed to indicate he would not be joining the Tour when asked ahead of the US Open last week.

Asked whether he was surprised by Koepka’s decision before it was officially announced, the Northern Irishman said: “Am I surprised? Yes, because of what he said previously.

“I think that’s why I’m surprised at a lot of these guys because they say one thing and then they do another and I don’t understand.

“I don’t know if that’s for legal reasons or if they can’t – I have no idea – but it’s pretty duplicitous on their part to say one thing and then do another thing, in public and in private.”

LIV Golf confirmed later on Wednesday that Koepka had joined the breakaway tour and will compete at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland.

Responding to Koepka’s departure, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said: “I am disappointed that Brooks Koepka has left and joined the LIV Golf series.

“I have not had a chance to talk to him about it, and I look forward to having a conversation with him, but I am not going to share any more than that at this point in time.

“Every player that has left, I have great admiration and respect for the contributions they have made to the PGA Tour. And I think a lot of players have had a hard time making that decision [to leave].”

LIV golfers will be allowed to play in The Open at St Andrews

The R&A has announced golfers playing in the LIV series will be allowed to compete at next month’s 150th Open.

The decision to allow those already qualified or exempt means high-profile players Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson – a former Open champion – will be able to play in the final major of the year at St Andrews.

The R&A’s decision echoes the USGA, who last month allowed qualified LIV golfers to compete at last week’s US Open at Brookline.

Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said: “The Open is golf’s original championship and since it was first played in 1860, openness has been fundamental to its ethos and unique appeal.

“Players who are exempt or have earned a place through qualifying for The 150th Open in accordance with the entry terms and conditions will be able to compete in the Championship at St Andrews. We are focused on staging a world-class championship in July and celebrating this truly historic occasion for golf.

“We will invest the proceeds of The Open, as we always do, for the benefit of golf which reflects our purpose to ensure that the sport is thriving 50 years from now.”