LIV Golf mavericks have been warned they are likely to face further sanctions if they continue to play in the Saudi-backed breakaway series after the DP World Tour players involved who "deliberately broke the rules" were fined £100,000 and excluded from next month's Scottish Open.
Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Martin Kaymer, all Ryder Cup veterans, are among those punished after taking part in the inaugural event in Hertfordshire earlier this month despite not being cleared to do so.
DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley declined to confirm whether participation in the Ryder Cup was also on the line but stressed that qualification criteria for next year's event in Rome have not yet been finalized.
In announcing the sanctions, the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour, said: "It is important to note that participation in an additional conflicting tournament(s) without the required release may incur additional sanctions."
While the PGA Tour immediately and indefinitely banned all of its members within minutes of players playing at Centurion Club a fortnight ago, the DP World Tour has delayed deciding.
Pelley consulted wider members of the organization before the decision was made to sanction the players involved, who, in addition to the Scottish Open, traditionally used as a warm-up for the following week's Open Championship, have also been excluded. Of the Barbasol Championship jointly sanctioned by the PGA Tour. And the Barracuda Championship next month.
"Simply put, a number of our members deliberately violated our conflicting tournament rules and regulations found in the membership manual they have signed," Pelley said. "It is not a new rule and has existed for 30 years.
"When talking to many of our members, they were discouraged; they felt disrespect and disrespect for the tour from members who deliberately broke these rules and regulations that govern our time to protect themselves, sponsors, and stakeholders.
"At the end of the day, the action required a consequence, and we felt we made a fair and proportionate move."
On whether the possibility of participating in the Ryder Cup could be withdrawn, the CEO of DP World Tour, who emphasized that his decision was made independently of his American counterparts, added: "The European qualification for 2023 has not yet been announced and until Until it is announced we have no comment to make on the Ryder Cup."
The money collected from the fines will be shared equally between prize money from upcoming DP World Tour tournaments and the tour's Golf for Good charity program.
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