DP World Tour Requiring Players to Ask Permission for LIV Golf Qualifier

Unlike the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour has a tournament at the same time as LIV's Promotions event.

The DP World Tour is taking a different approach than the PGA Tour to LIV Golf's Promotions event in December, requiring its players to apply for conflicting tournament releases to play in the event in Abu Dhabi.

On Wednesday, the DP World Tour sent an email to its membership stating that a release from chief executive Keith Pelley is required since a competing event, the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa, is the same week as LIV's event.

The note said releases must be applied for in writing by Nov. 8 and that Pelley "will determine whether or not to grant a release and his decision will be communicated directly to the applicable player."

Frederic Lacroix of France plays a shot in front of the newly branded DP World Tour sign during a practice round prior to the 2021 JOBURG Open in South Africa.
DP World Tour members must ask for the right to play in LIV Golf's Promotions event :: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

Last week the PGA Tour confirmed that the LIV Promotions event was not considered an “unauthorized tournament.” If it were, Tour bylaws would require banning all players from future PGA Tour events. Instead, players will be allowed to compete.

“Based on the information publicly available regarding the LIV Golf Promotion event; it is determined to be a qualifying event only and not a part of an unauthorized series,” a PGA Tour spokesman told Sports Illustrated last week. “Therefore, the LIV Golf Promotion event is not categorized as an 'unauthorized tournament.' This classification is subject to change should the details of the event change.”

Any player that qualifies for LIV through the Promotions event would likely not be able to play on the PGA Tour or DP World Tour if he were to accept LIV membership.


Published
Alex Miceli
ALEX MICELI

Alex Miceli, a journalist and radio/TV personality who has been involved in golf for 26 years, was the founder of Morning Read and eventually sold it to Buffalo Groupe. He continues to contribute writing, podcasts and videos to SI.com. In 1993, Miceli founded Golf.com, which he sold in 1999 to Quokka Sports. One year later, he founded Golf Press Association, an independent golf news service that provides golf content to news agencies, newspapers, magazines and websites. He served as the GPA’s publisher and chief executive officer. Since launching GPA, Miceli has written for numerous newspapers, magazines and websites. He started GolfWire in 2000, selling it nine years later to Turnstile Publishing Co.