Golf fans "love" seeing LIV players on DP World Tour as Saudi league stars make a return
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Thomas Pieters has expressed the importance of he and his fellow LIV Golf stars playing in DP World Tour events, with six competing in this week's Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Pieters - who made the move to the LIV setup in 2023 - regained his membership with the DP World Tour late last year, and will take advantage by playing the season opener at Emirates Golf Club which begins on Thursday. The former Ryder Cup star is not only the LIV man playing too.
Elsewhere Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton will once again tee it up on their home tour, whilst Patrick Reed, Adrian Meronk and Dean Burmester are all in the Middle East to begin their campaigns prior to next month's LIV opener in Riyadh. Unlike the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour have not banned its members for competing on the LIV circuit, but there are some consequences for Pieters and co though. Following an arbitration case in 2023, the Tour are able to fine and suspend any player who competes in 'conflicting' LIV events.
This has not stopped six of them adding their names to the entry list this week, something Pieters believes only benefits the tour amid the star-studded names from the breakaway league choosing to play. "The European fans and the people that will come and watch, they love that we are coming," he told Mirror Sport.
"Who doesn't want to see Tyrrell Hatton, Patrick Reed, Jon Rahm tee it up. I think it is a win for [the DP World Tour]. I got my membership back which is great. We can pick and choose [events], so I am looking forward to teeing it up. It has been a while since I teed up a golf ball.".
