LIV players are preparing to strike back at the DP World Tour, and have threatened legal action, claiming the punishment handed out against them for jumping ship to the upstart league has been “grossly unfair and likely unlawful.”
As first reported by the Daily Telegraph, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are among 16 players that have been fined and banned from playing in the Genesis Scottish Open, which will be contested at the Renaissance Club in Berwick next week as a co-sanctioned event between the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. In an open letter, the players said there would be legal actions against the DP World Tour unless the current sanctions are overturned by Friday.
The LIV players were hit with fines of 100,000 pounds plus are ineligible for three upcoming tournaments, including the Scottish Open, last Friday.
The letter was signed by 16 of this week’s LIV Golf Invitational competitors in Portland, who likely will be punished for playing in the event. It was addressed to the DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley and sent to other board members, and asked for the circuit to negotiate in good faith with the Saudi-backed circuit, or face the risk of legal action.
The letter, in part, read: “In Mr. Pelley’s latest communication, he uses the statement that every action in life comes with a consequence. We agree, and we are concerned that the actions of the Tour against us, LIV Golf, and golf in general will have adverse consequences on the DP World Tour, a tour and an organization that, despite our recent interactions, we care deeply for.
“The intention of this letter is not to further divide us, but to respond to Tour statements and to pose questions that the Tour should answer and we should discuss in detail. Instead of spending our time, energy, financial resources, and focus on appeals, injunctions, and lawsuits, we would implore you, the custodians of the DP World Tour, to reconsider your recent penalties and sanctions, and instead focus our energies on forging a path forward that is better for the DP World Tour members and the game of golf.
“To this end, we ask that you rescind your fines and suspensions by 5:00 pm on Friday, July 1, 2022. In addition, we represent over 5 percent of the DP World Tour membership and, under its articles of association, we ask you to convene a meeting of Tour membership to discuss these important matters further. If not, you will leave us with no choice but to employ the various other means and…
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