Final month, the DP World Tour gained a listening to towards LIV Golf gamers. In addition to leaving futures of these gamers on the Tour in jeopardy, it additionally left the Ryder Cup careers of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia hanging by a thread.
Now, the trio have ended the uncertainty over whether or not they would tee it up within the biennial match at Marco Simone Golf and Nation Membership by resigning from the DP World Tour.
Westwood defined his determination to The Telegraph’s Golf Correspondent James Corrigan (opens in new tab), saying: “I may not likely see some other choice with all of the punishments hanging over me. I don’t agree with the route Keith [DP World Tour CEO Pelley] and his board have taken and I wish to transfer on.”
Every of the trio has a robust declare as a legend of the match. Westwood has represented Crew Europe a file 11 occasions. In the meantime, Spaniard Garcia is the all-time file factors scorer within the Ryder Cup, which he achieved after beating Rickie Fowler within the 2021 Sunday Singles to maneuver onto 25.5. Poulter, too, has an enviable file within the match, and was instrumental in considered one of its best comebacks of all time as Crew Europe beat the US in 2012 in an achievement dubbed the Miracle of Medinah.
The DP World Tour has confirmed the resignations of the trio in a statement (opens in new tab), together with that of one other LIV Golf participant, Richard Bland. It reads: “The DP World Tour as we speak confirmed it has acquired membership resignations from Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland and Lee Westwood who have been sanctioned for critical breaches of the Tour’s Conflicting Event Regulation dedicated final June.
“The DP World Tour wish to take this chance to thank the 4 gamers for the contribution they’ve made to the Tour and specifically to Sergio, Ian and Lee for the numerous half they’ve performed in Europe’s success within the Ryder Cup over a few years.”
Regardless of that gratitude proven within the assertion, it goes on to level out that “their resignations, nevertheless, together with the sanctions imposed upon them, are a consequence of their very own selections.”
Westwood additionally confirmed to The Telegraph that he had paid the £100,000 that had initially been imposed on him and 16 different LIV Golf gamers by the DP World Tour after they performed within the circuit’s inaugural match in London final June. These penalties have been stayed following an injunction gained by Poulter and two others on the time.
In addition to not having the ability to play following their resignations, as the principles stand, Poulter, Westwood and Garcia will be unable to ever function both Crew Europe captains or vice captains both.
The DP World Tour assertion additionally confirmed that “an additional replace on different sanctioned members will likely be offered on Thursday.”
