Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland and Lee Westwood have relinquished their membership on the DP World Tour as a consequence of the recent Sports Resolutions arbitration case which ruled in the DP World Tour’s favour.
The statement issued by the DP World Tour’s communications department reads as follows…
The DP World Tour today confirmed it has received membership resignations from Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland and Lee Westwood who were sanctioned for serious breaches of the Tour’s Conflicting Tournament Regulation committed last June.
The DP World Tour would like to take this opportunity to thank the four players for the contribution they have made to the Tour and in particular to Sergio, Ian and Lee for the significant part they have played in Europe’s success in the Ryder Cup over many years.
Their resignations, however, along with the sanctions imposed upon them, are a consequence of their own choices.
As we have consistently maintained throughout the past year, the Tour has a responsibility to its entire membership to administer the member regulations which each player signs up to. These regulations are in place to protect the collective interests of all DP World Tour members.
The independent panel appointed by Sport Resolutions recognised this, determining that our Conflicting Tournament Regulation and its application in the circumstances did not go beyond what was necessary and proportionate to the Tour’s continued operation as a professional golf tour and that we have a legitimate interest in protecting the rights of our full membership by enforcing it.
A further update on other sanctioned members will be provided on Thursday.
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