20 March 2023 , 22:58
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Patrick Reed is one of a number of LIV Golf players to have been reportedly rejected entry into the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event that kicks off in Austin later this week.
The WGC Match Play tournament returns to the PGA Tour calendar this week, and was set to see the return of a number of LIV players. Those who chose to join the Saudi-backed series have been issued suspensions by the PGA Tour.
Despite the banning, it appeared that those who have made the Saudi switch could well have been set to make a return to the American-based circuit, due to the WGC event being co-sanctioned with the International Federation of PGA Tours.
One man who had entered to play in Austin was 2018 Masters champion Reed, but according to Sports Illustrated the entry - alongside a number of other LIV players - has been rejected. This comes despite Reed being eligible to compete due to his world ranking.
It seems the PGA Tour though had all their bases covered in a bid to maintain their banning order. Tournament rules state that entries are: "subject to acceptance by the Host Tour and the International Federation of PGA Tours and may be rejected or revoked by either without liability at any time before or after commencement of Tournament play if a player fails to meet the eligibility requirements ... (or) violates any of the Tournament Regulations of the Host Tour."
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PGA Tour bosses issued suspensions to LIV Golf players (Getty Images)The PGA Tour continue to stipulate that any player who has joined the breakaway circuit has violated their conflicted-events ruling that stops players competing elsewhere without official release from the Tour. This therefore means that Reed and co have broken the entry conditions for this week's tournament.
In a statement, the Tour confirmed: “The PGA Tour has determined that any player who has participated in an event or series of events during the 2022-2023 PGA Tour season that the membership has been informed is not authorised by the PGA Tour is ineligible to compete in any event sanctioned by the PGA Tour for a period of one year from the final round of competition of the unauthorised tournament in which he participated."