LIV Golf have bailed out former Ryder Cup star Bernd Wiesberger who was slapped with a reported £1.5million fine after applying to re-join the DP World Tour. The Austrian was one of those European Ryder Cup stars who ‘betrayed’ Rory McIlroy by joining the breakaway circuit for a huge payday.
The Austrian golfer has lost his place on LIV Golf and opted not to compete at the LIV Golf Q-School event in Abu Dhabi next month. Wiesberger also declined a chance to join the Saudi-backed series’ ‘free agency’ phase which could have seen him selected by a team captain.
When joining LIV Golf the Norwegian was promised by Saudi chiefs that he could continue playing in his home DP World Tour and that they would pay any fine imposed. However, a subsequent legal hearing ruled against that view and left rebels out in the dark.
Wiesberger didn’t resign from the European-based tour but lost his membership after only playing in two of their events last season. His application for membership this year has been accepted providing he pays the £1.5m fine and completes a suspension – which ends in January.
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The Telegraph has reported that LIV Golf are set to stump up the record-breaking £1.5m fine despite releasing the player from their circuit. After two seasons with the breakaway series, in which he won £3.5m in prize money, the Austrian announced his place on the DP World Tour on social media.
He said: “I am happy to announce that my focus for next year will entirely be on the DP World Tour. I have never resigned my membership and therefore I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to play a full schedule once again.
