Keith Pelley, CEO of DP World Tour has reacted furiously to the demands made by golf’s Saudi LIV rebels for their bans being lifted.
Threatening legal action if their £100,000 fine and ban from the Scottish Open next week was not rescinded by 5pm on Friday, the deadline was met with a combative statement from Pelley making it clear that, having made their beds with LIV, the tour believe players such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia have to lie in them.
Pelley was resentful of rebels’ claim they ‘care deeply’ about the DP World Tour. Also, he found it offensive that his new alliance with PGA Tour made him feel like his organisation was being’second fiddle.
He began, “The letter we received from a few LIV players has so many inaccuracies it cannot be unchallenged,”
“Players knew that LIV would have consequences before they signed up. Many accepted it, which is why some players are not surprised by the results.
Keith Pelley, chief executive at DP World Tour, has reacted strongly to a letter he got from LIV golfers
Ian Poulter (right), and Lee Westwood, LIV rebels have threatened legal action to stop them from being expelled from the Tour.
DP World Tour players care deeply according to the letter. However, past participation indicates otherwise. In the last five years, one participant has participated in six Rolex Series events. One played only four.
“I wish they were all as excited to participate in our Tour now as they are now.”
Pelley made a ‘great exception to’ claims that a deal with PGA Tour was bad for Europe. He argued: ‘Nothing could possibly be farther from the truth.
Pelley stated that legal threats were not a threat to members for breaking our rules. “The penalties for those who participated in LIV’s first event broke our rules. They were fair, proportionate and necessary, according to a majority.
Poulter and Westwood are among 16 LIV golfers who signed the letter sent to Keith Pelley
Pelley stated that the LIV rebels position was “not credible” and took a ‘great exception to’ the letter