DP World Tour Accused of Insulting European Icons With LIV Golf Welcome: ‘Cannot Treat Members Differently’

The air is clear in the golf world! The fans just got the names of the players who’ll be teeing off at the 2025 Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland Team Cup. This exciting competition promises to deliver electrifying match-play action, featuring a talented lineup of six Ryder Cup players and 11 debutants at Abu Dhabi Golf Resort from January 10-12, 2025.

In the latest post by DP World Tour on X, the fans got to know everything they needed to know about the field list. “🚨 TEAMS CONFIRMED 🚨 Take a look at who will represent both Continental Europe and Great Britain & Ireland at the 2025 #TeamCup”, read the post caption.  Continental Europe, led by Captain Francesco Molinari, will defend their 2023 title with a strong team, including Ryder Cup teammates Nicolai Højgaard and Thorbjørn Olesen, alongside automatic qualifiers Rasmus Højgaard, Niklas Nørgaard, and Matteo Manassero.

They’ll be joined by French pair Matthieu Pavon and Antoine Rozner, and Denmark’s Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen. Great Britain & Ireland, captained by Justin Rose, boasts a formidable lineup, featuring Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, and Tyrrell Hatton. They’ll be joined by Paul Waring, Matt Wallace, Tom McKibbin, Jordan Smith, Laurie Canter, and Aaron Rai. The final two picks for each side will be made after the Nedbank Golf Challenge on December 8, 2024, adding an extra layer of anticipation to this thrilling competition.

But the fans have quite some opinions on who should have made it to the teams and who shouldn’t have made it. Have a look at what they’ve to say.

Netizens angry at DPWT for alleged partiality

We all know how golf fans are when it comes to raising their voice for the players they love – well, a case of that was seen when the DP World Tour posted the names of the golfers playing in the Team Cup. The reaction sparked heated debate about the inconsistent treatment of players who joined LIV Golf, highlighting the glaring disparity between the original defectors and recent returnees like Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton. Fans are outraged, pointing out the DP World Tour’s apparent double standard in enforcing sanctions. Many argue it’s time for the Tour to rectify this situation, remove all sanctions immediately, and welcome back the original LIV golfers, acknowledging that punishing them was a mistake.

“The DP World Tour cannot treat members differently like this. They either follow their rules or they don’t. These acts are full admission that it was a mistake to punish players for going to LIV. So remove all the sanctions immediately and allow them all back. It’s the only route forward”, said Flushing Golf on X.  Another fan expressed their views on the matter by agreeing with Flushing it Golf and said, “Agreed. Westwood, Poulter, Casey, and McDowell should be given their memberships back, Bland should be allowed to play in the Senior Open, and the PIF should buy the DPWT”, while the other said, “They let Sergio back but not Casey, Ian, Westy or Stenson…..makes zero sense.”

Well, here’s the thing, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabian Private Investment Fund (PIF) are inching closer to a groundbreaking partnership, according to Chief Executive Guy Kinnings. In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, Kinnings revealed that “all parties are engaged with the right mindset” and working towards a deal but nothing is confirmed as of now. This potential alliance would unite the DP World Tour, PGA Tour, and PIF, revolutionizing the golf landscape. Kinnings hinted at significant changes on the horizon, stating, “We all hope there may be a different schedule in 2026.” The recently released 2025 DP World Tour schedule may transform as negotiations progress.

Another fan said something similar, “I never understood why the DP aligned with the PGA Tour. Always felt like they would be better suited aligning with the more global aiming LIV tour.” Well, it’s not only the fans who think this way, some golfers share the same ideologies. Matt Fitzpatrick slammed the DP World Tour’s PGA Tour partnership, saying, “I don’t think the Tour should have gone with the PGA Tour.” He criticized invites for PGA Tour players at the BMW PGA Championship, while European Tour players are excluded from THE PLAYERS Championship, highlighting the need for a more inclusive format.

Many fans were saying that some golfers do not deserve a seat on the team,“I agree with you on this but Lee Westwood, in particular, has been a complete prick about the whole situation”, said one fan. What do you think about the whole situation? Let us know in the comment section below!