Bernd Wiesberger was chosen No. 1 on the first LIV Golf Draft.
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“Let’s start the clock,” went the host. “Graeme McDowell this is your turn to make LIV Golf history as the first captain’s pick…”
It was June 7, 2022 and that host was Shane O’Donoghue, up on stage on the LIV Golf Draft in London. It was McDowell’s flip to make historical past, certain, however it was Bernd Wiesberger’s second, as he turned the No. 1 general decide within the first (and solely) LIV Golf Draft. Wiesberger trotted up on stage whereas O’Donoghue mentioned, “Welcome aboard, Bernd. You are the first ever draft pick in LIV Golf history.”
His response: “Yeah,” shrugging his palms out to the facet and exiting stage left. Seventeen months later, that tepid response feels relatively becoming. Wiesberger has moved on from LIV Golf.
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The DP World Tour introduced Thursday that Wiesberger has been reinstated as a member of that tour, after fulfilling the varied sanctions waged in opposition to him because of his earlier LIV commitments. He intends to play a full schedule on the DP World Tour in 2024, now changing into the primary LIV golfer to have full-time standing on the rival tour and pivot his gaze elsewhere as soon as once more. He completed the 2023 LIV season at No. 41 within the standings, which made him a free agent. Had any LIV groups expressed curiosity in signing Wiesberger? It would seem not. Wiesberger is ranked No. 271 on the planet by KnowledgeGolf.
Back throughout the tense summer time of 2022, Wiesberger had not resigned his DP World Tour membership. Some LIV execs did, others didn’t. It wasn’t clear on the time what the worth of it may be if their future was dedicated to LIV. But now that worth is beginning to present itself.
Holding onto that membership however taking part in in conflicting occasions, Wiesberger incurred suspensions and fines for every of the 22 occasions he performed. And whereas he made greater than $4 million in his two years at LIV, the fines and suspensions added up. According to varied reviews, LIV Golf supposed to pay fines for its gamers, which for Wiesberger and his 22 LIV begins would have tallied as much as $1.65 million.
But now? All good. According to the DP World Tour, all is paid up, each on the monetary entrance and the event suspensions, and Wiesberger will start the DP World Tour season in Dubai in January. “I am happy to announce that my focus for next year will be entirely on the DP World Tour,” he mentioned in a press release of his personal.
It is probably going that Wiesberger received’t be alone on this division. Quite a few LIV Golfers have been made free brokers in October after they didn’t end within the high 24 within the standings. To this level, LIV is a largely closed store the place, for each player that joins, one other should go away, till the league expands. If the DP World Tour turns into a touchdown spot for them, their standing might very properly rely on what they did with their membership again in June 2022.
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