Henrik Stenson, a former Ryder Cup captain, has resigned from the organisation after the DP World Tour increased its penalties for athletes who participated in LIV Golf tournaments without authorization.
A total of 26 players received suspensions for up to eight tournaments and penalties ranging from £12,500 to £100,000 for each violation of the Conflicting Tournament Regulation.
After joining the Saudi-funded circuit in July, Stenson, who had previously held the Ryder Cup leadership, said to Golf Digest: “It is terrible that it has come to this, but it is what it is and it certainly wasn’t anticipated.
“They gave me no other options, so I resigned. I’m done now. I don’t think becoming too engrossed in this will be helpful.
“I am grateful for everything the tour has done for me throughout the years. However, they have already decided how they wish to see the future. And it is clear that we followed suit. They currently don’t match, which is unfortunate.”
Stenson has resigned, joining Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Richard Bland. Until they pay the fines, they will not be eligible for reinstatement. Thereafter, suspensions will be in effect.
The former Open champion declined to provide additional information, instead stating that his fines were “anywhere between £50,000 and £75,000 per LIV event.”
“As was the case when I resigned from the Ryder Cup captaincy, I have my views on a lot of things that have gone on,” he said.
“But there is no sense in my going any farther because I appreciate a lot of individuals and what they do, including some I don’t really respect.
“It would be best if I said nothing more than to announce my resignation because there are fewer than 60 days until the Ryder Cup.”
The Tour prevailed in its legal conflict with 12 players in April. They had filed an appeal after being fined £100,000 and banned from the Scottish Open for competing in LIV Golf’s debut event in June 2022. Garcia is the lone athlete who hasn’t made that payment.
Along with the punishments given to the 26 players who participated in LIV Golf and Asian Tour tournaments without release, the DP World Tour issued a statement.
The following was stated in the statement: “These events took place between June 22, 2022, and April 2, 2023, the day before the independent panel appointed by Sport Resolutions released its ruling regarding players who competed in the first two LIV Golf competitions in 2022 at the Centurion Club in England and at Pumpkin Ridge in Oregon without releases.
“The Conflicting Tournament Regulation was found to be reasonable and appropriate to the circuit’s continuing operation as a professional golf circuit’ and the DP World Tour had behaved ‘absolutely properly in rejecting releases’ for those tournaments.
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