LIV Golf players in bid to get Genesis Scottish Open ban lifted

Sixteen LIV Golf players, including Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, are attempting to overturn a Genesis Scottish Open ban.

The punishment was dished out to the group by the DP World Tour for playing in the inaugural LIV Golf event at Centurion Club near St Albans without an official release.

The players, who include major winners Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen as well, were also fined £100,000 for teeing up on Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed breakaway circuit.

According to a Daily Telegraph report, the LIV Golf players are now threatening legal action unless they are allowed to play in the Genesis Scottish Open, which starts next Thursday at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian.

Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, pictured during the 2020 event, are among 16 DP World Tour members who have been prohibited from playing in next week's Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club after signing for LIV Golf. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

The move has emerged in an open letter signed by the 16 players and sent to Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour chief executive, and other members of the European Tour Group board.

It read: “In Mr Pelley’s latest communication, he uses the statement that every action in life comes with a consequence.

“We agree, and we are concerned that the actions of the Tour against us, LIV Golf, and golf in general will have adverse consequences on the DP World Tour, a tour and an organisation that, despite our recent interactions, we care deeply for.

“The intention of this letter is not to further divide us, but to respond to Tour statements and to pose questions that the Tour should answer and we should discuss in detail.

“Instead of spending our time, energy, financial resources, and focus on appeals, injunctions, and lawsuits, we would implore you, the custodians of the DP World Tour, to reconsider your recent penalties and sanctions, and instead focus our energies on forging a path forward that is better for the DP World Tour members and the game of golf.

“To this end, we ask that you rescind your fines and suspensions by 5:00 pm on Friday, July 1, 2022.

“In addition, we represent over 5 percent of the DP World Tour membership and, under its articles of association, we ask you to convene a meeting of Tour membership to discuss these important matters further.

“If not, you will leave us with no choice but to employ the various other means and methods at our disposal to rectify these wrongs.”