DP World Tour fines LIV Invitational Series rebels £100,000 after feeling 'disrespected'
- Sean Fisher
- 24 June 2022
Players from the DP World Tour that decided to break away and feature in the inaugural LIV Invitational series have been handed a £100,000 fine, which will go towards future prize funds.
The controversial LIV Invitational Series continues to dominate headlines and split opinion, with the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour both condemning their rival orginisation.
The Saudi-backed series held it's inaugural event earlier this month, and the DP World Tour have now revealed that any of it's players that decided to feature will be banned from the upcoming Scottish Open and fined £100,000.
The six figure sum came as a result of the DP World Tour citing a breach of regulations, and they added that further participation in the LIV Series could result in additional punishment.
"It is important to note that participation in a further conflicting tournament or tournaments without the required release may incur further sanctions," said a DP World Tour statement.
DP World Tour confirms member sanctions.
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 24, 2022
Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia are just three of the players that face the fine after breaking away to join the series despite not receiving a release to do so.
Keith Pelley, chief executive of the DP World Tour, stood firm on the organisation's decision to punish "rule breakers".
"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," said Pelley.
"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."
Lee Westwood is among the players to join the LIV series
Money raised from the fines will be shared equally between the prize funds of upcoming tournaments on the DP World Tour and the tour's charitable Golf for Good programme.
Whether or not the LIV players will pay the fine themselves is yet to be confirmed, after CEO Greg Norman insisted that the organisation will pay for any fines incurred by their players.
