DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley has slammed 16 of the LIV Golf rebels after the breakaway group t hreatened legal action against the tour. After being fined £100,000 and banned from next week’s Scottish Open, the likes of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia fired a legal warning to Pelley’s tour if their punishments were not rescinded by 5pm on Friday.
Pelley however was clearly in no mood to surrender his and the circuit’s stance, issuing a strong statement in response to those who have made the Saudi breakaway. After the players claimed to ‘care deeply’ about the DP World Tour, the CEO hit back confirming to the rebels that they ‘knew the consequences’ prior to their LIV Golf switch.
In a statement Pelley said: “The letter we received on behalf of a number of LIV players contains so many inaccuracies that it cannot remain unchallenged.
“Before joining LIV, players knew there would be consequences. Many of them accepted that, so it is not credible that some are now surprised with the actions taken.” The likes of Poulter, Westwood and Garcia have chosen to centre their careers in America in recent years, predominantly playing the majority of golf on the PGA Tour.
Seemingly hitting out at this fact he added: “The letter claims these players "care deeply" for the DP World Tour. Past participation suggests otherwise. One played six Rolex Series events in the past five years. Another, only four.
“I wish many of them had been as keen to play on our Tour then as they seem to be now.” The DP World Tour is currently in Ireland playing out this week’s Irish Open, where Pelley revealed one Saudi rebel had committed to playing before jumping ship to compete at LIV Golf’s second event in Portland.
Addressing the legal matters surrounding the saga, he also added: “I will simply reiterate that our Members’ Regulations which have been in force for more than 30 years, have been accepted by all the players, are there to protect all of our members, and we will use them to take all necessary steps to protect their interests.
“The sanctions for those members who knowingly broke our rules by playing at the Centurion Club without a release are proportionate, fair and, I believe, considered necessary by the majority of our members.”
