Report: LIV Golf players face five-month wait over DP World Tour future
A date has been set for Sports Resolutions UK to hear the case involving the LIV Golf Tour players wanting to remain members of the DP World Tour.
The likes of Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Sergio Garcia will have to wait five months to find out if they can continue playing on the DP World Tour after joining the LIV Golf Invitational Series.
According to a report by Ewen Murray in The Guardian, the so-called rebels' case will be heard by Sports Resolutions UK in February 2023.
The DP World Tour previously issued £100,000 fines and suspensions for their members who decided to peg it up in the inaugural LIV Golf event at Centurion Club just outside of London in June.
An arbitration judge later issued a stay on these proceedings, which allowed Poulter and two other LIV players (Justin Harding and Adrian Otageui) to participate in the Genesis Scottish Open after mounting the legal challenge.
The report by Murray confirms that a panel will hear the case over five days.
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Until then, the LIV players can continue to participate in DP World Tour events where eligible, gain qualification points for the Ryder Cup (which was recently overhauled by captain Luke Donald).
The wait will also open up the door for involvement in the Race to Dubai.
While this may seem quite a wait for the likes of Poulter et al, it is in stark contrast to the timeframe in the other legal case involving the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
That case will not be heard until next Autumn at the very earliest. We learned that when federal judge Beth L. Freeman ruled against the LIV players who tried to force their way into the FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Related: Jon Rahm explains players' reactions to early legal victory
Poulter, 46, in particular, has been vocal about his treatment since announcing he has joined LIV. He has always insisted that he believes he has done nothing wrong and wants to continue supporting the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
He lashed out at the DP World Tour at the recent D+D Real Czech Masters. He wrote on Instagram that he thought he was "still a member" of the European circuit but he was being "treated very differently" over access to media footage.
Westwood, 49, also hit out out at the PGA Tour after sweeping changes were announced by the established American circuit in an attempt to try and deal with LIV Golf.
The Englishman claimed the PGA Tour was copying LIV and also said "they have always been bullies." Westwood said some people may argue he was being cynical but he believes he is "seeing through all the bull****".
"They all point at the no-cut aspect of LIV and the 'short fields.' Now, funnily enough, they are proposing 20 events that look a lot like LIV," Westwood told Golf Digest.
"Hopefully, at some point they will all choke on their words. And hopefully, they will be held to account as we were in the early days."
The DP World Tour is due to host its flagship event next week at Wentworth. The LIV players have been sent a warning memo ahead of the BMW PGA Championship.
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