LIV Golf signing Thomas Detry labelled "disappointing" by fellow Tour pro

English tour pro Eddie Pepperell has expressed his disappointment over Thomas Detry's decision to join LIV Golf. 

Belgium's Detry joined the PIF-backed breakaway in January and linked up with compatriot Thomas Pieters in Dustin Johnson's 4 Aces quartet. 

The 33-year-old was the highest-ranked player among the five signings LIV Golf made over the winter ahead of its fourth full season.

He joined Victor Perez, Laurie Canter, Elvis Smylie and Byeong Hun An in the 57-man line-up. 

Detry's decision to join LIV was a tad surprising, given he'd just finished the standout season of his career whereby he finally broke through in the United States.

Last February, Detry stormed to victory at the WM Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour in dominant fashion, winning by seven strokes. 

He eventually finished 44th in the FedEx Cup standings, locking up a two-year exemption and starts in all of this year's signature events. 

Nobody would be surprised if Detry contends in future majors or even finds himself in the position of qualifying for the European Ryder Cup team in 2027. 

But that task, according to Pepperell, has been made more difficult as a result of joining LIV Golf. 

"I mean, I like Tom, he's a wonderful golfer, but I'm not sure I can think of a more disappointing signing, actually, that LIV has made," Pepperell told the latest edition of The Chipping Forecast. 

"Because [he is] somebody who really should be a top 10 golfer in the world. 

"I know he lacks a bit of self-belief, I think he's been open about that in the past, his troubles performing under pressure, but he overcame that obstacle last year by winning the Phoenix event. 

"And I just thought at that point he's going to kick on and become this player that we all know he could and should become, and by going to LIV, I just think he certainly ruins that opportunity for the foreseeable future, and I just find that really disappointing as a golf fan, and as a fan of him and his game."

Detry will make his debut for LIV Golf tomorrow in Riyadh. 

He has taken the place of Harold Varner III in the team after the American switched to Smash to fill the spot left by Brooks Koepka.

To say LIV's offseason has been tumultuous would be an understatement. 

Johnson's 4 Aces are yet to announce a replacement for Patrick Reed, who followed Koepka out the exit door after winning the Dubai Desert Classic. 

According to TelegraphSport, LIV met Reed's terms for an extension but the American still rejected the offer in favour of a return to the PGA Tour later this year. 

Several high-profile LIV players have also expressed their discontent at the current situation. 

Chief among them is Bryson DeChambeau, who is out of contract at the end of the season. 

DeChambeau was given the opportunity to rejoin the PGA Tour under the returning member programme. 

The 2024 U.S. Open champion has committed to LIV for this season, but refused to rule out leaving. 

DeChambeau recently complained that LIV's switch to playing their events over 72 holes instead of 54 was not what he signed up for. 

Former Masters champion Bubba Watson also expressed his frustration with LIV's format change.