Paul McGinley faces backlash for comments on LIV Golf and DP World Tour tension

Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley has faced opposition from a DP World Tour player over comments he made regarding LIV Golf players competing on the old European Tour.

In an interview with the Sunday Times, McGinley got his shackles off and spoke openly about LIV Golf and his relationship with the various European stalwarts who have swapped sides.

The Irishman admitted that although he still has a close bond with the likes of Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, they are now on opposite sides of the professional golf sphere.

McGinley, who captained Europe to victory against America at Gleneagles in 2014, told reporter David Walsh that Westwood, Poulter and the rest are unlikely to be involved in another Ryder Cup.

Luke Donald is the newly-appointed Ryder Cup captain for the matches in Rome in 2023 after Henrik Stenson made a controversial $40 million switch to the Saudi-backed series.

Gonzalo makes a good point. I should have been more precise & clearer in that particular quote. It should have read that “ every player past & present that I’ve spoke to “.

Obviously he wasn’t one that I’d spoken to

— Paul McGinley (@mcginleygolf) September 4, 2022

"The key to the anger felt by the ordinary non-LIV members of the DP World Tour is that these guys who've taken the big money from LIV think they're entitled to come back and take the places of players who support our tour week-in, week-out," said McGinley.

"The LIV players don't turn up for $2 million or $3 million tournaments in the Czech Republic or Switzerland, but they come for the $6 million tournament at Wentworth. This has led to a lot of resentment.

"Keith Pelley has spoken to virtually every one of our players. Not one wants the LIV guys in our tournaments."

This final comment is what DP World Tour winner Gonzalo Fdez-Castano took issue with. He tweeted on Sunday: "Please don’t speak on behalf of all the membership @mcginleygolf. I have no problem whatsoever with the @LIVGolfInv players playing on the @DPWorldTour."

The Spaniard clearly doesn't share the same opinion as Rory McIlroy who said he would find it hard to stomach seeing 18 LIV Golf players tee it up at the BMW PGA Championship this week.

Martin Kaymer has taken his name off that list as he felt distinctly unwelcome at Wentworth. LIV Golf players won't be playing in the Wednesday pro-am, nor will they be in featured coverage on Sky Sports.

McGinley responded to Fdez-Castano: "Gonzalo makes a good point. I should have been more precise & clearer in that particular quote. It should have read that "every player past & present that I’ve spoken to." Obviously, he wasn’t one that I’d spoken to."

As a member on the board of the DP World Tour, this is as outspoken as McGinley has been since the LIV saga began. Things could certainly meet boiling point in Surrey this week.