NO SCOTTISH OPEN AND A RYDER CUP MESSAGE

REBEL golfers in the lucrative Saudi-backed LIV series have been banned from the Scottish Open, fined £100,000 and warned about their Ryder Cup hopes.

The Scottish Open is one of the DP World Tour’s biggest events with a £6.5million prize fund. It is also vital preparation for The Open, at St Andrews, the following week.

But LIV stars including Lee Westwood (above), Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell will now be unable to tee it up at the Renaissance Club from July 7-10.

They have all starred for Europe in the Ryder Cup too with Garcia their leading points scorer.

Westwood is tied-top with Nick Faldo on 11 appearances for Team Europe.

But the stars have been warned by the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour, that participation in further conflicting tournaments without the required release “may incur further sanctions”.

And this could affect their qualification hopes for next year’s Ryder Cup in Rome.

Keith Pelley, the DP World Tour chief executive, said: “Every action anyone takes in life comes with a consequence and it is no different in professional sport, especially if a person chooses to break the rules.

“That is what has occurred here with several of our members.

“Many members I have spoken to in recent weeks expressed the viewpoint that those who have chosen this route have not only disrespected them and our Tour, but also the meritocratic ecosystem of professional golf.

“Their actions are not fair to the majority of our membership and undermine the Tour.”