Following probably the most profitable LIV Golf occasion thus far in Boston final week, a number of golfers at this week’s BMW PGA Championship — the flagship occasion of the DP World Tour — aren’t happy with a number of of their colleagues for taking over a spot in the sphere.
Jon Rahm and Billy Horschel, each of whom have been vociferous voices in favor of the PGA Tour in its battle towards LIV Golf, referred to as out LIV golfers who entered this week’s area at Wentworth Club.
“There are many players that have been key for European Tour golf and the Ryder Cup that have a lot of collective years on the European Tour,” Rahm said. “Them coming, I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing. What I don’t understand is some players that have never shown any interest in the European Tour, have never shown any interest in playing this event, being given an opportunity just because they can get world ranking points and hopefully make majors next year.”
Rahm went on to make clear that he had no difficulty with Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell or Ian Poulter enjoying this week’s occasion, however he was annoyed that different gamers — equivalent to Abraham Ancer and Talor Gooch (Rahm did not title names) — had been taking over spots.
“It doesn’t hurt me, but it does bug me that somebody who has played 20 DP World events this year cannot be given the opportunity to play a flagship event because some people that earned it … are being given an opportunity when they couldn’t care any less about the event,” added Rahm. “They don’t care. They don’t know the history of this event. They are only here because they are trying to get world ranking points and trying to finish in the top 50 [in the world] and that’s clear as day.”
Rahm reiterated one thing comparable later in a unique interview.
Why would PGA Tour golfers care about what LIV golfers are doing on the DP World Tour? Well, the reply to that’s difficult, however Rahm referenced it in his reply. Right now, LIV gamers aren’t afforded Official World Golf Rankings factors, and because of this, they may start to fall down the OWGR, which is likely one of the principal methods to earn a spot into main championships subsequent 12 months.
Those gamers, like Gooch and Ancer, would play on the PGA Tour, however they have been banned from doing so. The DP World Tour has no such ban at present, though they had been requested to not play in the pro-am on Wednesday and asked not to wear their LIV Golf gear.
“Abraham Ancer, Talor Gooch … You’ve never played this tournament, you’ve never supported the [European tour]. Why are you here?” mentioned Horschel. “You are here for one reason only and that’s to try to get world ranking points because you don’t have it.
“Those guys, after they signed that deal and the cash that they bought, they needed to be sensible sufficient to issue in that they knew that they won’t be capable to play both tour, they won’t be capable to get world rating factors,” added Horschel later. “The cash they bought was factored in, and that is why they signed these offers.
“I honestly feel like it’s a slap in the face to the rest of the members of this tour that they’re coming to play the biggest purse on the DP World Tour and that they’re going to be taking money out of guys’ pockets this week. I don’t think that’s right in my opinion.”
Horschel would not play the vast majority of his golf on the DP World Tour, and he mentioned that he would have been much more vocal if gamers had been making an attempt to play on the PGA Tour. Both Rahm and Horschel made caveats from among the outdated DP World Tour stalwarts.
“I wouldn’t call Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter hypocrites because they never said they wanted to play less,” mentioned Horschel. “The guys that have publicly stated they want to play less, those are the hypocrites. Just be clear on that. It’s not every one of them. And there are a few of those hypocrites here this week because they wanted to play less, but they are playing another event that’s not a LIV event.”
Rory McIlroy, who’s each the most important voice on the PGA Tour entrance and has probably the most sway on the DP World Tour due to his affiliation with the Ryder Cup and since he is the most effective participant in the sphere, will communicate on Wednesday. He did, nevertheless, give a preview of what is coming after profitable the Tour Championship two weeks in the past.
“I hate what it’s doing to the game of golf,” mentioned McIlroy. “I hate it. I really do. Like it’s going to be hard for me to stomach going to Wentworth in a couple of weeks’ time and seeing 18 of them there. That just doesn’t sit right with me.”