Lee Westwood (center) and Ian Poulter (right) with LIV CEO Greg Norman may never compete in the Cup again Ryder. Getty Images/Chris Trotman
Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia end their Ryder Cup careers after LIV Golf Rebels lose arbitration against DP World Tour.
Ahead of the first round of the 87th Masters, Augusta was covered in news after the results of the Sports Resolutions hearings held in London in February were revealed. The trio, along with several other members of the Saudi-backed series, must now decide what to do next.
The ruling by the retired Supreme Court Justice essentially suggests that the DP World Tour has the power to impose suspensions and impose fines on those competitors who challenged Executive Director Keith Pelley by winning it in a competition on the Saudi funded track that started at a $20 event. million pounds at the Centurion Club in St Albans last June.
Wentworth headquarters immediately issued a $100,000 fine and suspended 16 players from the three tournaments, including Westwood, who showed up at the Centurion Club, citing the fact that Pelley did not grant them permission to enter the competition. However, those sanctions were lifted when Poulter, Adrian Otegui and Justin Harding were given injunctions from the Scottish Open in July.
Since then, both sides have been in limbo as LIV golfers were allowed to play on the DP World Tour in the intervening period. At the Dubai Desert Classic in January, Patrick Reid dueled Rory McIlroy before the latter committed a birdie on the 18th. At the time, no one knew, but this event looks like it will soon acquire historical significance.
The DP World Tour will convene its disciplinary panel at the earliest opportunity to set penalties, which may be retroactive. Ultimately, this means that the chances of ever seeing Westwood, Poulter, Garcia and others like Henrik Stenson in a Ryder Cup setting are now so slim as to be implausible.
Rory McIlroy, current world No. 2, said: «If this is the result, it certainly changes the dynamics of everything.»
The LIV may unilaterally decide to try to continue the battle and, since it pays the legal bills, may order the rebels to stick to the script. Otherwise, Westwood & Co. could have easily canceled their membership, refused to pay fines, leaving an outstanding legacy on the tour they graced and the Ryder Cup team they became famous with.
Westwood revealed what he discovered news by text on Tuesday morning. “Out of respect for the process, I will wait for the official announcement and then take stock,” Westwood told Telegraph Sport. He declined to elaborate on the options available.
It is understood that Sports Resolutions — a non-profit organization offering a fast alternative to internal appeals and litigation — does not have an appeal mechanism, but there may be an option through the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland.
LIV may want to be seen as the «loser» in this fight. Here in the United States, there is another case going on right now between the PGA Tour and the LIV where the former has already banned the rebels and won't be heard from until next January at the earliest. In addition, the DOJ is investigating the PGA Tour for antitrust claims.
This can only be seen as a clear blow to LIV. Norman was optimistic when the view formed that any attempts by the tours to exclude defectors would be crushed by an expensive legal team. The opposite happened.
Some have argued that the DP world tour itself could have won if LIV had prevailed, as it would pave the way for superstars such as Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka to appear on the European track . At this point, that opportunity has slammed shut, and Pelli, who is here at the Masters, is sure to be in a celebratory mood.
A statement released by DP World Tour said: “Out of respect for the confidentiality of the Sport Resolutions process, we will not comment on any aspect of the arbitration until the decision is officially announced. ”
Свежие комментарии