It’s been widely reported the DP World Tour has won the arbitration hearing that now allows the Tour ban LIV golfers from teeing-up at their Tour events.
A three-strong arbitration panel met in London for five days in February, listening to arguments from lawyers representing a group of 12 LIV Golf players, as well as lawyers representing the DP World Tour.
LIV Golf took the DP World Tour to arbitration when players cited “conflicting event” releases from the Tour in order to play the inaugural LIV Golf event last June.
The DP World denied those requests while the players who competed at Centurion Club were still fined £100,000 and suspended from the next month’s Scottish Open.
Three players – Ian Poulter, Adrian Otaegui and Justin Harding – appealed and won the decision to tee-up, and with the fines put on hold pending an appeal.
The number of appelents then grew to 16, but with Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Otaegui then withdrawing from the case, which was heard behind closed doors by Sports Resolutions UK.
According to a report in The Times on Tuesday, the panel has reached a verdict and found in favour of the DP World Tour, with an official announcement potentially being made during the first round of the Masters on Thursday.
A spokesperson for the DP World Tour said: “Out of respect for the confidentiality of the process conducted by Sport Resolutions, we will make no comment on any aspect of the arbitration until the decision is formally announced.”
While the PGA Tour is involved in a separate antitrust lawsuit with LIV Golf and a handful of its players who were suspended for playing on the Saudi-funded circuit, DP World Tour officials had stressed the “narrow parameters” of the arbitration case.
In a briefing with just a handful of reporters at the Dubai Desert Classic, DP World Tour Director of Communications Scott Crockett said: “The hearing centres solely on our conflicting event release regulation and our ability to enforce it.
“Every member signs up to our regulations when they pay their membership fees each year. There are precedents where they have not been granted in the past.”
Of course, it is too early to learn if the likes of Lee Westwood and Poulter will appeal against the verdict or give up their membership of the DP World Tour while LIV Golf has not commented at the time of writing this story.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of the Masters, Rory McIlroy said he could not comment widely until the verdict was officially announced, but added: “If that is the outcome, then that certainly changes the dynamic of everything.”
Asked if he felt it was the correct decision, McIlroy said: “I’m not a lawyer. But if the arbitration panel think that’s the right decision, then I have to go by what they say.”
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