Report: DP World Tour To Decline Saudi Golf Series Releases

The LIV Golf Invitational Series gets underway on the 9th - 11th June and, as of writing, we are yet to find out who will actually be in the field for the event. However, in a report by The Guardian, it seems that members of the DP World Tour are likely to face penalties amid a growing sense that permission will not be granted to those looking to tee up at Centurion Club.

Players like Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson and Louis Oosthuizen have been linked to the series, with reports also stating that Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland, Graeme McDowell and Branden Grace are among those who might apply for a release before the DP World Tour’s deadline of the 10th May.

Back in February, the PGA and DP World Tour allowed players to feature in the Saudi International, with the event giving out world ranking points and being played under the Asian Tour banner.

However, the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series doesn't have ranking points available, neither is it played under the name of a significant Tour. 

According to the report in The Guardian, there is every indication that players will not be cleared to play at Centurion in June. Consequently, individuals will have a decision to make. Either take their place in the field anyway or remove their names from the equation.

If players were to play, there would be a significant punishment that, currently, no one at the DP World Tour is willing to speculate on. As a result, players are almost stuck in a guessing game.

Just last week, DP World Tour chief, Keith Pelley, issued a loyalty plea to players amid the Saudi threat, writing: “Conflicting events, regardless of how attractive they might appear to you personally, potentially compromise our efforts in these areas and could significantly hurt your Tour in both the short and long term.”

He went on to add: “Please, therefore, continue to bear this bigger picture in mind, particularly considering some of these conflicting events in 2022 are scheduled directly opposite some of our most prestigious ‘heritage events’, including the Horizon Irish Open, the DS Automobiles Italian Open and the Acciona Open de España – three national Opens which combined have more than 300 years of history.”

Across the pond and with the PGA Tour, players are required to submit applications to play in alternate Tour events at least 45 days prior to the first round of the tournament. The Tour then has 30 days before the competing event begins to either grant or deny the request.

The deadline for the event at Centurion was the 25th April, with Robert Garrigus the first known PGA Tour player to formally submit a request to the Tour to compete in the Series.

According to reports, the American was joined by Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson, who are also said to have requested permission to play in the Series opener at Centurion Club in June. 

Insiders believe that the PGA Tour may be more strict for LIV Series events in North America, with five of the eight tournaments set to take place in the USA.