Can the LIV Golf Invitational players compete at the Scottish Open?
LIV players such as Ian Poulter are engaged in a fight with the DP World Tour as to whether they can get to play the Genesis Scottish Open.
With the Genesis Scottish Open set to begin play on July 7th, another chapter of the ongoing war between LIV Golf players and the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour is underway. In a tournament that will see the strongest field ever for a Non-Major DP World Tour (previously known as European Tour) event, some of the players who defected to the LIV Golf Circuit ijn the last months are still trying to play in it.
DP World Tour imposed three-tournament ban on LIV players
After LIV Golf’s first event was played on the outskirts of London this past June, the DP World Tour released a statement informing about their upcoming ban on the golfers who participated. This decision barred players such as Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson or Ian Poulter from participating in the next three DP World Tour events and fined them for over $120.000. This decision was not accepted by any of the London event golfers, as 16 of them wrote a letter asking the DP World Tour for their fines to be rescinded and the suspensions lifted, concluding that “If not you will leave us with no choice but to employ the various other means and methods at our disposal to rectify these wrongs.”
PGA Tour co-sanctions Scottish Open in new alliance with DP World Tour
In an attempt to help each other and redouble their efforts against LIV Golf, the PGA Tour has formed a new alliance with their partners at the European Tour, making this the first edition of the Scottish Open backed by both golf circuits. This has helped the Scottish tournament get a very strong field and bigger anticipation than was expected out of an event taking place just a week before the British Open, the fourth major of the season.
Players appeal gets ban lifted for Poulter and others
Ian Poulter spoke to BBC in Ireland a few days ago and explained his position: “I feel disappointed and offended that I’m suspended from playing golf on a tour where I’ve been a member for 24 years. I’ll always continue to fight for my right to play golf”. He is one of the three LIV Golf players who asked to play in the Scottish Open and appealed the ban to Sport Resolutions, a non-profit arbitration service in the United Kingdom.
The decision of this committee was to allow them to participate in the Scottish Open in what is a cautellary decision, as we learned through DP World Tour Chief Executive Keith Pelley. This has put a stay in the ban until Sport Resolutions gets more information and is able to reach a final ruling, which Pelley says they will accept: “I will simply say we are disappointed by the outcome of today’s hearing, but will abide by the decision”. Ian Poulter, Adrián Otaegui and Justin Harding are the LIV golfers allowed to play in this Scottis Open, which will take place between July 7th and 10th.