The DP World Tour issued a statement Thursday saying it has sanctioned 26 players for participating in LIV Golf events without obtaining a release.
“These events occurred in the period from June 22, 2022, to April 2, 2023 — the day before the independent panel appointed by Sport Resolutions released its decision in relation to players competing without releases in the first two LIV Golf events in 2022; at the Centurion Club in England and at Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon,” read the statement. “That decision determined that the DP World Tour had acted ‘entirely reasonably in refusing releases’ for those events and that the Conflicting Tournament Regulation was ‘reasonable and proportionate to the Tour’s continued operation as a professional golf tour.’
“The panel also held that the DP World Tour had ‘a legitimate and justifiable interest’ in enforcing its regulations with the imposition of sanctions such as fines and suspensions.”
The sanctions include both fines and tournament suspensions and were determined on a case-by-case basis. The tournament suspensions only affect regular DP World Tour events and not major championships.
Players who have resigned their membership — Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Richard Bland did so last week — will not be eligible for reinstatement unless they pay their fines. Suspensions would start after fines are paid.
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