Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland and Lee Westwood have all resigned DP World Tour membership in the wake of an arbitrator's ruling that allowed the DP World Tour to uphold sanctions levied against players who joined LIV and sought to play in last year's Genesis Scottish Open.
These four were players who were sanctioned for "serious breaches of the Tour’s Conflicting Tournament Regulation," after competing in the first LIV Golf event in England. They sought an arbitration case in response, with a temporary stay in place that allowed LIV Golf players to compete in DP World Tour events until the case was heard.
Ultimately, the Sports Resolutions panel that was appointed found, in the DP World Tour's words, the "Conflicting Tournament Regulation and its application in the circumstances did not go beyond what was necessary and proportionate to the Tour’s continued operation as a professional golf tour and that we have a legitimate interest in protecting the rights of our full membership by enforcing it."
That win opened the door for the DP World Tour to impose further, harsher sanctions on LIV Golf players who kept DP World Tour membership. That made the decision to resign easier for these four players, though it makes them ineligible to play or participate in the Ryder Cup as membership is a prerequisite for qualification.
In the release, the DP World Tour added it "would like to take this opportunity to thank the four players for the contribution they have made to the Tour and in particular to Sergio, Ian and Lee for the significant part they have played in Europe’s success in the Ryder Cup over many years."
However, the tour then added, "Their resignations, however, along with the sanctions imposed upon them, are a consequence of their own choices.
"As we have consistently maintained throughout the past year, the Tour has a responsibility to its entire membership to administer the member regulations which each player signs up to. These regulations are in place to protect the collective interests of all DP World Tour members."
The DP World Tour also said it would provide updates on other sanctioned members on Thursday.
