LIV Golf's Bland claims DP World Tour missed opportunity with Dustin Johnson
Richard Bland claims DP World Tour executive Keith Pelley "missed an opportunity" after unprecedented changes were announced by the PGA Tour to combat LIV Golf.
LIV Golf Invitational Series player Richard Bland claims DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley missed a trick.
Bland, 49, recently appeared on an episode of the Bros and Birdies podcast, where he explained that Dustin Johnson was ready to join the former European Tour circuit.
That was reportedly on the condition that Pelley did not come down "too heavy" on the guys who teed it up in the first event at Centurion Club, just outside London, in June.
By now, you likely know the story. Pelley confirmed the LIV players were fined £100,000 and banned from three co-sanctioned PGA Tour events.
Bland has subsequently made his return to the DP World Tour, as has Ian Poulter. It was not without controversy for Poulter.
Bland later claimed that Pelley told him he would be doing "exactly the same thing" in his position, given the lucrative offer on the table.
The Englishman told the podcast: "Personally, I think Keith has maybe missed an opportunity. I've spoken with DJ, with Bryson, because they knew the penalties that were coming their way from the PGA Tour and they resigned their memberships.
"DJ said to me, 'look, if Keith doesn't come down too heavy on you guys I'll join the DP World [Tour].
"I think Keith had an opportunity to really get some top players in the world playing on DP World but Jay Monahan [the PGA Tour commissioner] has a very, very strong hold on the world of golf right now and probably on DP World, and it puts Keith in a very, very difficult position and he's sided with Jay."
When the suspensions were handed down, the DP World Tour strengthened their "strategic alliance" with the PGA Tour.
This led to accusations that the DP World Tour was essentially becoming a "feeder tour" to the established American circuit.
Bland said of this: "I personally think this deal they've just done is awful. How can you give your 10 best players to the PGA Tour every single year? I don't get it.
"We're being hammered with the world ranking points new system ... we're getting hammered, you're not getting even close to the amount you were playing for last year and then you got to give your 10 best players to the PGA Tour which is more than likely gonna be our highest ranked players, so now you're gonna get even less world ranking points."
Bland explained that under the new proposals if someone like Rasmus Hojgaard earned his PGA Tour card but failed to keep it, he'd more than likely stay in America and play the Korn Ferry Tour to earn his status again.
"It would be detrimental to come back to the DP World," he said.
Bland's comments come at a time when the PGA Tour announced unprecedented changes to combat the LIV Golf Tour.
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