Can’t live with them and can’t LIV without ‘em
Padraig: Rebels whipping up storm for Team Europe
FORMER Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington is set to be consulted on new qualification rules after stars demanded LIV rebels miss out.
LIV golfers including Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell have been fined £100,000 and banned from the Scottish Open for playing on a rival to the European Tour.
They have all starred for Europe in the Ryder Cup with Garcia the continent’s all-time leading points scorer.
But further sanctions are expected by the European Tour, now known as the DP World Tour, for players who tee up this week in the Saudibacked LIV event in Portland.
Harrington expects the ugly battle to hurt the prospects of LIV players who want to qualify for the Ryder Cup team next year and especially those eyeing a future captaincy.
The final qualification process for 2023 is still to be determined but Harrington, who captained Europe last year at Whistling Straits in a record defeat, says pros are calling for heavy sanctions against defectors after turning down as much as £25million themselves to join LIV.
Harrington,50, said: “I don’t know how it’s going to end up in terms of whether the players can play or certainly with the captaincy.
“It really is hard to know what is going to be the future of it. I haven’t talked to the powers that be.
“I’m sure the next couple of weeks at the Irish Open, Scottish Open, that they will come to me and get a feeling for what I think.
“Hopefully between us all we’ll come up with the right solution.
“There does seem to be two sides to it – the players who have gone and especially the players who have an option to go who haven’t.
“The fear of missing out means they want very strong sanctions.
“Somebody who could go doesn’t go, you can understand them thinking: ‘God, should I have gone?’
“We’re talking about the type of Ryder Cup player who has turned down the $30million-plus figures. It’s very impressive that at the moment it seems like the players staying are the ones who are feeling their careers are going on an upward spiral.
“Fair play to them for turning it down and backing their careers. I’m impressed.”
Harrington was speaking after reflecting on his win at the US Senior Open.
He added: “There’s room for two tours but is there room for more?
“The PGA Tour is a giant in this whole thing, LIV are coming to do battle with them and everybody else has to take a backseat.”