Keith Pelley insists the future is bright for the DP World Tour amid suggestions the hearing victory over LIV Golf could make the circuit weaker.
Arbitration body Sporting Resolutions ruled that 12 LIV players had committed “serious breaches” of the DP World Tour’s Code of Behaviour by teeing it up in the inaugural LIV Golf event last June.
That gives Pelley the power to issue further sanctions like the £100,000 fines and tournament bans handed out to Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, and could bring an end to the DP World Tour careers for some European stalwarts.
Westwood, Poulter and Sergio Garcia have been the most vocal critics of Pelley throughout this saga, with the Spaniard reportedly aiming an expletive-laden rant at some DP World Tour players during last year’s BMW International.
“This Tour is s***, you’re all fucked, should have taken the Saudi money,” is what he’s believed to have said.
However, Pelley believes the verdict is nothing but positive for his members, pointing to the fact that the “door has been open” for LIV players to tee it up on what was formerly the European Tour since last July.
“I would say that I vehemently disagree,” Pelley said, when asked if a ruling in favour of LIV would have been better for the DP World Tour. “I really believe that and for a number of reasons. I think that argument has been formed to suit the needs of those that have pushed it. But the total opposite has happened.
“Players haven’t played in their national opens because they’ve had contractual commitments to play on another tour. When they’ve played in, and it’s been so very little, they’ve only played in high profile events with large, OWGR ranking points.
“They’ve certainly not supported the other events on our tour. So if the idea, if the decision had gone the other way and it would have opened the door for them to play more. I don’t buy it. That door has been open since last July.”
The verdict also puts in jeopardy the likelihood of any LIV Golf players being involved, in any capacity, in future Ryder Cups.
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