Golf war intensifies as DP World Tour fines Asian Tour players over LIV events
- Another 26 golfers hit with fines of up to US$126,000 for each LIV tournament they played in without permission
- Players also could be slapped with bans from up to eight regular events if they remain European Tour members
The DP World Tour has stepped up its war with the Asian Tour, levying another series of hefty fines on golfers who have competed on both circuits over the past year.
Having previously handed out penalties of £100,000 (US$126,000) to 17 LIV Golf members who played in the league’s first two events without obtaining release forms, European bosses are now going after another 26 golfers, with fines ranging from £12,500 to £100,000 for each tournament played without permission.
In a statement released late on Thursday in the UK, the DPWT said the “sanctions imposed were determined on a case-by-case basis, acknowledging differences between the events in terms of the impact on the DP World Tour’s broadcast partners, sponsors and stakeholders”.
Players also could face suspensions from up to eight regular European Tour events on the schedule if they pay their fines and remain members. Any suspension would not start until the Porsche European Open in Germany in June.
Asian Tour members such as Jazz Janewattananond and Kiradech Aphibarnrat are likely to have been targeted, while reports in Spain suggested that Adrian Otaegui, who has played on the DPWT this season and is ninth in the European points list for the Ryder Cup, had also been sanctioned.
According to local media, he was handed an undisclosed fine and suspended from four events. Otaegui’s crime was to play in three LIV Golf tournaments last year.
