Horschel slams the LIV rebels as ‘hypocrites’
Storms in the skies over Wentworth, thunder at the microphones inside a media tent down below. If there were any thoughts that the factions of golf’s civil war might co-exist in harmony for a week, they were resoundingly blown apart yesterday at the DP World tour’s flagship event.
It would have been optimistic in the extreme to have expected the BmW PGA Championship to be conducted in peace, owing to the presence of 17 players who now draw the vast bulk of their living from the LIV circuit.
But nonetheless the awkwardness was ratcheted to feisty new levels yesterday, with the stated belief of two of the world’s best golfers that the rebels should have no place in the tournament. Defending champion Billy Horschel was the most emphatic in his criticisms, name-checking Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Abraham Ancer, talor Gooch and Bernd Wiesberger as players having their cake and eating it.
But there were similarly sentiments from Jon rahm, the former world No 1 whose ire was reserved for those who have ordinarily avoided tournaments in Europe.
that those same LIV players have now made their way here in pursuit of precious world ranking points — which are out of reach in America under the terms of their split from the PGA tour — has made for a fevered backdrop to tomorrow’s opening round.
Horschel, the world No 15, said: ‘they signed a contract with LIV and factored in an understanding that they may not get any of the rewards they had on the DP World tour and PGA tour. they put a
price number on that. that’s the contract they signed with LIV.
‘I talked with Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, Bernd Wiesberger, guys I get along with. I don’t fault them for making that decision. But you made a decision that is going to weaken both tours.
‘Even though Westwood and Poulter have been stalwarts for the European tour, I don’t think those guys really should be here. I don’t think the American guys who haven’t supported the PGA tour should be here.
‘Abraham Ancer, talor Gooch — you have never played this tournament, you have never supported the DP World tour. Why are you here? You are here for one reason only and that’s to try to get world ranking points.
‘some of these guys have said they wanted to play less golf. It’s pretty hypocritical to come here and play outside LIV when your big thing was to spend more time with family and play less golf.’
spanish star rahm was particularly aggrieved that eligible LIV players are here at the expense of regular golfers from the DP World tour, with the tour having failed to legally uphold a suspension.
rahm said: ‘ What I don’t understand is some players that have never shown any interest in the European tour, have never shown any interest in playing this event, being given an opportunity just because they can get world ranking points, and hopefully make majors next year. A perfect example, a good friend of mine (Alfredo Garcia-Heredia) is the first one out on the entry list.
‘It does bug me that somebody who has played 20 DP World events this year cannot play a flagship event because some people that earned it, to an extent, are being given an opportunity when they couldn’t care any less about the event.’
the LIV contingent will also feature sergio Garcia, Patrick reed and Graeme mcDowell, with a number of the rebels present at last night’s players’ meeting, along with the expected participation of rory mcIlroy, the favourite here who has been the most vocal supporter of the traditional tours.
meanwhile, the DP World tour have announced the creation of the Hero Cup, a team event in January that will pitch Britain and Ireland against Europe as preparation for the ryder Cup.