LIV golfers banned from Euro events, including Scottish Open
The European tour banned golfers who competed within the Saudi-backed breakaway LIV sequence from three upcoming tournaments, together with the Scottish Open, on Friday and fined them $120,000.
The tour stated any gamers who took half within the inaugural LIV occasion in England this month could be suspended from the Scottish Open, Barbasol Championship and Barracuda Championship. All three of these occasions are co-sanctioned by the European tour and the PGA, which has suspended gamers who competed in LIV. They had been additionally fined 100,000 kilos ($123,000).
There could possibly be “additional sanctions” if the gamers proceed to compete in LIV with out authorization, the European tour stated. The following of eight LIV occasions is in Portland, Oregon, on June 30-July 2.
The high-quality levied by the European tour is barely greater than the minimal prize cash in LIV. Inserting final of the 48 gamers paid out $120,000 within the inaugural occasion on the Centurion course close to London — the richest golf tournament in historical past. Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, who resigned his PGA Tour membership, raked in $4 million for successful the occasion and one other $750,000 for being on the successful group.
“Many members I’ve spoken to in current weeks expressed the point of view that those that have chosen this route haven’t solely disrespected them and our Tour, but in addition the meritocratic ecosystem {of professional} golf that has been the bedrock of our sport for the previous half a century and which can even be the muse upon which we construct the following 50 years,” European tour chief govt Keith Pelley stated.
“Their actions aren’t honest to nearly all of our membership and undermine the Tour, which is why we’re taking the motion we’ve got introduced at this time.”
Cash from the fines will likely be cut up between charitable causes and topping-up prize cash, the tour stated.
The Scottish Open begins July 7 and has a complete prize fund of $8 million. The Barbasol Championship the identical week in Kentucky and the Barracuda Championship the next week in California every provide a complete $3.7 million.
4-time main winner Brooks Koepka was introduced on the entry listing for the Scottish Open earlier this month earlier than he opted to join the LIV sequence, although he has but to compete within the Saudi-funded occasions.
The European tour’s announcement got here whereas some gamers signed to LIV had been enjoying in certainly one of its personal occasions. Among the European tour’s best-known gamers had been on the course Friday on the BMW Worldwide Open, together with main winners Louis Oosthuizen, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer. All of them performed the inaugural LIV occasion in England.
Reporting by the Related Press
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