World · Singapore Bureau
DP World Tour CEO demands LIV Golf defectors prove commitment before return
The chief executive of the DP World Tour has signalled a tough stance on welcoming back players who defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit, insisting they must demonstrate their loyalty to the established tour.
LSN Singapore ·
Guy Kinnings, CEO of the DP World Tour, has made clear that players who abandoned the circuit for LIV Golf will face a rigorous process if they seek reinstatement. In comments reflecting lingering tensions between the rival tours, Kinnings suggested that LIV's formation represented an attempt to fundamentally undermine the DP World Tour's competitive standing.
"They wanted to destroy us," Kinnings said of LIV Golf's backers and players who made the switch. His remarks underscore the deep schism created when the controversial Saudi-backed league launched, prompting a significant exodus of established tour players seeking lucrative appearance fees and prize purses.
The DP World Tour CEO's position indicates that any reconciliation between the tours will not come easily. Rather than offering blanket acceptance of returnees, Kinnings has signalled that former members must affirmatively demonstrate renewed commitment to the DP World Tour. The stance suggests a lengthy period of uncertainty for players caught between the rival circuits as negotiations over a potential merger or unification continue.
Tensions between the DP World Tour, the PGA Tour, and LIV Golf have dominated professional golf discourse since LIV's launch in 2022. While merger discussions between the PGA Tour and LIV have progressed, the DP World Tour's relationship with both entities remains complex, with leadership appearing determined not to be sidelined in any eventual restructuring of professional golf's competitive landscape.