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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Ewan Murray

Golf can begin to heal wounds by bringing Henrik Stenson back as Ryder Cup captain

An illustration of a dove of peace delivering the Ryder Cup
The biennial meeting of Europe and the United States was dragged into golf’s civil war but healing the wounds is possible. Illustration: Matthew Green/The Guardian

The only current certainty in elite golf is uncertainty. A month has passed since confirmation that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has joined forces with the PGA and DP World Tours to promote peace on the fairways but nobody apparently has a clue about details for the future. The situation is so stark that golfers who prefer root canal treatment to media duties are suddenly stopping journalists to elicit information about how this all unfolds. This is a wonderful mess.

LIV and its much-maligned rebels have understandably seized upon the vacuum. Full steam ahead is the unrelenting message from this tour. It would be an exaggeration to suggest LIV golfers are crowing about the legitimacy afforded to their circuit by the mainstream tour alliance but smiles are barely masked. When Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter went on the front foot against the leadership of the PGA and DP World Tours on Wednesday, it was from a position of strength rather than nervousness. Nobody can really take the proclamations of golf administrators seriously any more, such has been the U-turn on all things PIF.

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