Veterans blast pundits worried about LIV stars’ return: ‘Too selfish’

With the future of LIV Golf in doubt following the PIF’s decision to pull funding, speculation has arisen about whether LIV stars such as Bryson DeChambeau will try to return to the PGA Tour. But there is a much easier way for LIV pros who want to advance from the beginner league: the DP World Tour.

And the veteran of the DP World Tour insists that the tour should “accept [LIV pros] back.” That player is Pablo Larrazabal.

In interview no Today’s GolferLarrazabal also shared a strong message to the “very selfish” DPWT players who, fearing to lose playing opportunities, want to make it difficult for LIV professionals to return.

Pablo Larrazabal calls out Rory McIlroy’s ‘play better’ in LIV message

The DP World Tour will benefit greatly from the return of popular players from LIV Golf. Not just big names like DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, but also European legends like Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood.

But the truth is that if 15-20 LIV professionals start playing DP World Tour events regularly, as some reports say, some of the current DPWT players will be badly affected. They will see their finishes decrease along with their rewards. They may lose places in tournaments.

In his interview no Today’s GolferHowever, Larrazabal did not show sympathy for the fears of those players.

“People are very selfish. If you finish fifth this week – bring LIV players, you will probably finish 15th. So they will take about 30, 40 grand from your pocket,” said Larrazabal. Today’s Golfer. “But to win golf tournaments, you have to be the best. And to make money, you have to be the best. I want to beat Sergio Garcia. I want to beat Jon Rahm on Sunday afternoon. And kids, they want to be rich. They want to be rich, not beat anybody. And that’s very selfish.”

What adds weight to Larrazabal’s discussion is that he is the type of player who can see job opportunities disappear with the return of LIV stars. Despite winning nine DP World Tour races in a long career, the 42-year-old has struggled recently and is currently ranked 152nd on the Race to Dubai list.

The veteran player went on to quote Rory McIlroy to make his point. McIlroy’s quote was originally inspired by young PGA Tour pros who feared changes to the Tour would hurt them.

“Rory McIlroy has said in the past that he wants to get into the tough tournaments, the money tournaments, ‘play better.’ If you play the way I play today, you will be playing small tours,” said Larrazabal. “You want to be better. [Some of the] the best are at LIV and we should welcome them.”

Pro sees returning LIV stars as a benefit to the DP World Tour

Larrazabal also revealed some details on how he sees the return of LIV stars benefiting from the DP World Tour, including the attraction of more sponsors and, possibly, an increase in purses.

“This trip has seven or 10 people [LIV players] all week, all week here, we will have many sponsors. We will have better venues and better golf tournaments. Time for them to come in. How good would this matchup be with Bryson DeChambeau or Jon Rahm? It will be great. Instead of playing for $2.5 million or $2.7 million, we’ll be playing for $4 million or $5 million. They need us, we need them,” said Larrazabal Today’s Golfer.

He continued to repeat his words “welcome them back”, especially when it comes to the European stars in Ryder Cup history.

“We have to welcome Sergio Garcia. Lee Westwood, [former] number one in the world. We must welcome Martin Kaymer. We have to accept the guys who made the tour as it happened now. They did what they wanted to do. Who is visiting to tell us what to do? We must do as much as we can for our people at home, in our families. They went on to play another tour, but those guys made the Ryder Cup what it is now. Unfortunately or fortunately – whatever you want to call it – they won’t be participating in the Ryder Cup. “

The DP World Tour winner sounds out of place for LIV pros looking to make a comeback

The conditions surrounding LIV pros playing DP World Tour events are not the same for every player. Some players left the DP World Tour membership when they moved to LIV. Some take it a step further and sue for travel. But some players keep their DP World Tour cards, paying fines when they break the rules by playing LIV events in the same week as DP World Tour events.

In addition, in February the DP World Tour granted eight LIV professionals the ability to continue playing LIV events without accumulating additional fines and penalties. Those players are Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry, Tyrrell Hatton, Tom McKibbin, Adrian Meronk, Victor Perez, David Puig and Elvis Smylie.

So in most cases, current LIV pros are eligible to play DP World Tour events right now. That differs from the PGA Tour situation, where returning LIV pros face, at the very least, a one-year suspension and a possible fine.

But six-time DP World Tour winner Joost Luiten thinks the DP World Tour should make it “very difficult” for LIV pros to come back, as he puts it. Today’s Golfer.

“They are very quick to leave and very happy to take money. Not all people, but many have bad things about this trip,” said Luiten. “They should make it harder to come back. I’m not saying it shouldn’t be possible, but I think it should be harder. I think the penalties should always be there.”

Luiten then went on to criticize those DP World Tour pros who left LIV, saying they wanted “the best of both worlds.”

“When you leave you have to stay in the bubbles – a Dutch saying. It means they made a decision and now they have to face the consequences,” said Luiten. “They were happy to take this money but nothing was good for them. Now they want to come back and get the best of both countries. I think that is really wrong. They made a decision and now they have to live with it.”

As for what the way back should look like, Luiten shared an idea: Q School.

“They should go back to Q school. That’s the best thing you can do. Let them fight it out there. Nobody wants to go to a travel school. The best thing you can do… Lose your position on this trip and deal with it.”

You can read the whole thing Today’s Golfer report here.