#Endline #WestwoodPoulter #homecircuit
https://gotopnews.com/post/2572529
The 2023 version of the Dubai Desert Classic may be more historic than was appreciated at the time. Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter formed part of pitch that could be final expedition of DP World Tour, previously European Tour. The suspension of the sentence was just that. At the same Dubai event, Rory McIlroy was involved in a massive final-round joust with LIV’s Patrick Reed. Many observers who pondered this believed that it was wrong to challenge the DP World Tour’s breakaway golfers’ ability to play in their own area as well. Graeme McDowell has publicly announced that the DP World Tour has been given a “great opportunity” to allow players to combine their schedules. However, there is no doubt that base and file of the DP World Tour has become increasingly unsettled by LIV golfers and their meddling representatives who return to city when appropriate. It was also all too clear that CEO Keith Pelley and his board saw LIV as a viable competitive threat. Allowing a platform and naturally a profile for golfers operating under LIV banner – some of these players have stakes in the business – has always seemed detrimental to DP World Tour as an entity. In a way, Pelley was playing without losing; Had arbitration result come out any other way, he could have told his allies on the PGA Tour that his organization is doing their best while window remains open for LIV players to improve pitches in Europe. The problem was that Europe’s new star breed wouldn’t be able to stop Tommy Fleetwood or Tyrrell Hatton from jumping into the LIV competition with no sanction. The obvious fact is that Stenson, Westwood, Poulter and others had a commercial call. Their lucrative move to LIV was perfectly understandable from an economic standpoint, but shouldn’t have been done while trying to eat the DP World Tour cake. A sports arbitration panel agreed with this view. A judge in the United States district court did the same last August. “If LIV is the future of elite golf, what do players care about dust-collecting trophies from a bygone era?” ‘ asked Judge Beth Labson Freeman. The contributions of Stenson, Westwood, Poulter, Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey and Sergio García to European golf and the Ryder Cup should be respected. Yet there is something endearing about fact that a membership organization, in this case DP World Tour, can legally oppose challenge of vulgarity, sports wing of Saudi Arabian public investment fund. This matters beyond golf; Rules and regulations are important in sports. LIV’s circus manager, Greg Norman, insists his organization offers free players to golfers. Greg Norman is adamant that LIV offers golfers free agency. Mike Ehrmann The outcome of arbitration may be contested – and LIV was more than willing fund legal battles – but it remains to be seen whether the players in question have any appetite prolong the feud. Their energies would be better served by trying to increase relevance of LIV, which would show they had made a strategic mistake by not aligning with the Saudis when there was an opportunity on DP World Tour. They’ll never admit it, but major championships have to rub their hands at the removal of many established players from the mainstream tours. Events like this week’s Masters offer viewers the opportunity to watch McIlroy on the same pitch as Reed, Dustin Johnson and Cameron Smith. The big four just got bigger. Not long ago it seemed unthinkable that Poulter and Westwood would never become European captain in a Ryder Cup. The prospect is not present at moment as European side is really timid about obvious captaincy numbers for next few races due to switch to LIV. The idea of successful team leaders staying in place for future Ryder Trophies should be taken seriously. In terms of acting – and it’s worth remembering that no one is or will be “banned” from the Ryder Cup – the impact on Europe is negligible. The final days at Augusta National have seen players on both sides of the golf civil war paint a picture of harmony. They gave handshakes and high fives on the Masters driving range. The undercurrent is as hot as ever; Sports Decisions is about to rule some bloody noses of the public.
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