Can PGA Tour Ban Golfers From DP World Tour From Playing in Its Events?

Only days ago Xander Schauffele was found speaking about his displeasure towards the PGA Tour for dividing golfers because of rivalries between Tours. Now, the golf world is shattered with yet another step that the PGA Tour has taken against those DP World Tour players who have previously taken part in LIV Golf.

While the DP World Tour suspends and then takes fines from LIV golfers to make them eligible to compete, the PGA Tour has a strict word against it. Several golfers have come forward with the complaint that they have been banned from taking part in the Champion’s Tour despite not being a member of the PGA Tour. According to Golf Monthly, between 2022-23, a regulation was implemented that said, “Any player who has participated in an unauthorized tournament is ineligible to compete in any event sanctioned by the PGA Tour for a period of one year.”

However, the PGA Tour has now taken a step ahead. As per their handbook rules, the PGA Tour can entertain certain restrictions against players who participate in ‘unauthorized tournaments’. The handbook definition states, “any golf event for which the commissioner has denied or has indicated he would deny all conflicting event releases and/or media releases or not eligible for releases because it is to be held in North America.”

According to Flushing It’s an official X handle, the PGA Tour has banned all the DP World Tour members from playing in opposite-field events the week of the co-sanctioned DP World Tour events who had previously played in LIV Golf. The implementation of this new step proves that the PGA Tour has indeed the power and rights to restrict those players from the DP World Tour.

The strategic alliance between DPWT and the PGA Tour was primarily designed to ‘counter the threat of LIV Golf’. The latter hence increased their share in European Tour from 15% to 40%, which is about $152 million.

­”Committed to a coordinated global schedule, which will almost certainly lead to more joint events in the future. Prize money will also grow across the board in each of the next five years.” said, Today’s Golfer. However, many people believed that the alliance did not prove to be fair on both sides as questions like“If the PGA Tour’s strategic alliance with the DP World Tour truly goes both ways, then those who just miss out on PGA Tour cards through the DP World Tour need to be granted exemptions into the final stage of Q-School,” rose.

This is creating chaos in the golf world, and golfers are not shying away from expressing their opinions.

Players complain about the PGA Tour’s measures when they don’t hold their membership

Henrik Stenson had talked about the ‘truce’ everyone wished for that never arrived. He also brought to notice how Richard Bland was denied from the Champions Tour even after his Senior PGA Champion victory. He questioned the fact that the only reason Bland has been denied entry is because he plays for LIV Golf. He then sternly said, “Behind the scenes it is not as if everyone is holding hands and singing songs together, so there is still things to be worked out.”

Bernd Wiesberger, the Austrian professional golfer with 12 professional wins has also revealed that he has received an official notice from the PGA Tour even when he is not a member of the tournament. He wrote, “Just received a letter by the pgat banning me from playing the isco and barracuda. Never been a member either. Who knows what’s going on over there…”

What do you think of the latest decision that the PGA Tour has taken? Share your thoughts in the comments below!