European Ryder Cup Captain Luke Donald: DP World Tour Resignations ‘Sad,’ but Provide ‘More Clarity’

After months of speculation on whether all-time European Ryder Cup king Sergio Garcia and other stalwarts like Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter would be eligible for this year’s edition in Italy, we now know the answer.

No, those men will not be allowed to play at Marco Simone Golf Club this September.

Those three, along with Richard Bland, turned in their DP World Tour resignation on Wednesday, and word is that more of the European LIV Golf contingent will soon be following suit.

Captain Luke Donald now knows who he will and will not be able to select from, as six of his top players will automatically qualify to go with six captain’s picks. He discussed it with the BBC.

Donald said:

“It’s sad we got to this point, but this was always a possibility. At least] I have a little more clarity now. Ultimately this is their choice and I wish them well. They feel like this was the best choice for them and now I’ve got choices to make that are best for me.”

Coincidentally, Donald and the DP World Tour are playing in the Italian Open this week at the home of the Ryder Cup later this year.

.@LukeDonald is underway in Italy 🇪🇺#DS80OpendItalia pic.twitter.com/toT1ime66f

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 4, 2023

Westwood told The Telegraph in the UK that the former European Tour has picked sides, lining up with the PGA Tour, but he doesn’t believe it’s for the better.

Westwood rhetorically asked:

“The way I view it is that, as a European Tour member, I was allowed to be a member of the PGA Tour without any problem for all those years. Tell me, what is the difference? Just because LIV is funded by the Saudis – a country where my tour used to play and where we were encouraged to play?”

“In my opinion, the European Tour has jumped fully in bed with the PGA Tour and even though Keith [Pelley, the chief executive] says he hates to hear it, it is now a feeder tour for the PGA Tour. The top 10 players on the tour, not already exempt this year, have a pathway to the PGA Tour – that’s giving our talent away.”

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.

— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 3, 2023

Garcia hasn’t officially made a comment, but it did come out that he is the only golfer who has yet to pay his $100,000 fine that a court upheld last month.

Cover Image Via The Press Democrat