DP World Tour players want LIV Golf stars to face ‘very strong sanctions’, reveals Padraig Harrington

The Irishman, who captained Team Europe last year in a 19-9 loss, will be consulted over new qualification rules with pressure to freeze out those defecting to the Saudi-backed tour

Padraig Harrington has revealed how DP World Tour players are pushing for “very strong sanctions” to be handed out to LIV Golf players.

The Irishman, captain for Europe last year in the 19-9 defeat to the Unites States, has also confirmed he will be consulted in discussions over new qualification rules for the Ryder Cup.

And there is pressure from current DP World Tour players to penalise those who have already jumped to the rebel tour in a bid to be rewarded with some resisting snubbing offers as large as £25m to sign up to Greg Norman’s new tour.

That could mean Ryder Cup stalwarts Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell, all fined £100,000 and banned from the upcoming Scottish Open, could have played their last Ryder Cup match.

Harrington said: “I don’t know how it’s going to end up in terms of whether the players can play or certainly with the captaincy. It really is hard to know what is going to be the future of it.

“I haven’t talked to the powers that be. I’m sure the next couple of weeks at the Irish Open, Scottish Open, that they will come to me and get a feeling for what I think. Hopefully between us all we’ll come up with the right solution.

Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood playing in the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series (REUTERS)

“There does seem to be two sides to it - the players who have gone and especially the players who have an option to go who haven’t. The fear of missing out means that they want very strong sanctions.

“Somebody who could go doesn’t go, you can understand them thinking: ‘God, should I have gone?’ We’re hearing players turning down huge sums of money. We’re talking about the type of Ryder Cup player who’s turned down the $30 million plus figures.

“It’s very impressive that at the moment it seems like the players who are staying are the ones who are feeling like their careers are going on an upward spiral. Fair play to them for turning it down and backing their careers. I’m certainly impressed.”