DP World Tour chiefs accused of "betraying" members with "galling" LIV Golf stance

England's Eddie Pepperell says he fears feeling resentful towards the DP World Tour over its stance on allowing a select number of LIV Golf players to tee it up on the circuit in 2027.

The European Tour confirmed at the beginning of the month that those signing up to LIV's proposed new era will be prohibited from holding membership next season.

Its hard-line stance, which is at odds with how it has previously dealt with LIV players, appeared to send multiple golfers towards the exit door as it scrambles to emerge from the ashes without Saudi Arabia's backing.

But the approach has ruffled feathers among some members, with Dutch veteran Joost Luiten the most outspoken on the topic.

Luiten told GolfMagic he viewed it as a 'weak' decision to allow LIV players back onto the circuit easily. 

He said sponsor invites should be reserved for young talents embarking on their careers or those who 'stayed loyal'.

Pepperell, who was among those to lose their cards at the Genesis Championship, wrote a lengthy column on Substack over the weekend after DP World Tour members Ewen Ferguson, Richard Mansell and Marco Penge offered their two cents.

Ferguson said it was "hilarious" that those who were critical of the DP World Tour now believe it is the "best thing since sliced bread".

Pepperell told the latest edition of the Chipping Forecast: "I saw Ewen Ferguson, Richard Mansell and Joost Luiten about a week ago all comment on this.

"And comment, I would say, quite unfavourably on it in terms of their opinions towards the DP World Tour on the rumours. And they are mostly still rumours that invites really are going to be given to some of these players.

"I think that is confirmed at this point. I don't think it's really speculation to say that Charles Howell III is going to be playing on the DP World Tour next year a number of times through invites.

"And I think it's that galling, frankly."

Pepperell was referring to the fact that the DP World Tour is currently in negotiations with several LIV Golf players who are out of contract but not exempt for next season about playing opportunities.

The discussions are aimed at reaching agreements that would guarantee them invites to a select number of tournaments outside the Rolex Series.

Charles Howell III is among the group, but some have expressed the view that the 47-year-old should not receive favourable treatment, given he has spent the entirety of his career playing almost exclusively in the United States.

"I've not got anything against Charles Howell III," stressed Pepperell.

"And I just want to point out too, it's not that I'm under any impression that these guys are not better at golf than me.

"Lucas Herbert is a better golfer than me. I'm not of the opinion he shouldn't be playing on the DP World Tour immediately because he's not a better player than me.

"My point is quite simple to those that don't get it. And it's a small minority. It's to earn your right the way I did at Q-School. The way we all have to.

"And to the degree to which a player hasn't earned their right historically, a la, say, Rory McIlroy, when he was offered invites in the very early stages of his career, it's a very different scenario.

"Because there's somebody that didn't play on LIV Golf before receiving those invites. And of course LIV Golf has done an awful lot of harm to the DP World Tour.

"So yeah, I do find it quite, as I described in the article, and I tried to be fair within it, but I did see it as a bit of a betrayal from the Tour to be giving invites to such players, frankly."

It has been suggested that the DP World Tour's move to ban LIV players is simply because officials at Wentworth HQ smell blood.

Pepperell said he believes LIV is "already done for", adding: "If it couldn't succeed with $6bn behind it, there is no way it's ever going to succeed with a mere $300m behind it, of which, actually, the more people I listen to talk about this investment, they describe it more as a debt investment on the side of BC Partners to offset their own future tax liabilities more than anything else, frankly.

"I can understand the idea that this will kill LIV off. I think it will. But my view is it was already dead.

"And so you didn't need to bend over to give Charles Howell III or Thomas Pieters [invites].

"And I like Thomas Pieters. I've got an awful lot of time for him. I think he's a brilliant player.

"But I just think he should go back to Q-School the way I did, the way Kiradech [Aphibarnrat] might have to, the way a lot of players have to, and earn your status.

"I'm not of the opinion they won't do so. I think they're plenty good enough to do so. But make them do it.

"You know, it's the meritocratic beauty of a sport like golf. It's a cornerstone that I'm unbending on, frankly, and always have been."

Pepperell said a calculation needs to be made over which players should receive invites.

"I have no issue with Joaquin Niemann coming back and receiving invites," he said. "He's a star. I would watch it. I'd pay to watch Joaquin Niemann play golf. I wouldn't pay to watch Charles Howell III play golf. Nothing against him.

"And that, to me, is a calculation that I think needs to be made.

"And it doesn't really matter if Charles Howell III, and I don't wish to single him out because he is such a nice fellow and he is a very good player.

"But for the more intensive purpose, it doesn't really matter from the DP World Tour's perspective whether he plays on LIV 2.0 or not, in my view.

"So to kind of, I would say, betray the membership in the way that's potentially going to be done by offering him invites, which will at some point have an impact on entries for some players on the DP World Tour.

"I mean, it's quite feasible and possible that next year I might not get into a tournament because I might be one or two short and there will be four invites given out to LIV players.

"And whether that's right, fair, wrong, I'm not going to make that judgement. But that's what's probably going to happen. That's what the decision of the DP World Tour has taken."

Pepperell acknowledged that he has been the beneficiary of favourable treatment.

He was handed a late invite to the Spanish Open to keep his season alive.

But he said he has lost a little respect for the DP World Tour over its position.

"And usually what tends to fill that void is resentment and even contempt," he said.

"And I'm not a contemptuous individual. And I'm certainly not somebody that seeks to be vengeful in any way.

"But I do ask myself, what should I ever do for the DP World Tour in the future?

"You know, if they're going to make my life slightly more difficult.

"And I don't wish to say this because they've made my life a bit easier in recent months by giving me invites into Madrid, for example.

"So I'm fully aware of the benefits that they've afforded me."