Former PGA Championship winner Rich Beem believes those who sign up for the LIV Golf Series should be banned from featuring in future Ryder Cups.
The threat of fines and bans continue to hang over prospective mutineers who opt for the riches on offer from the Saudi-backed attempt to form a global breakaway circuit that gets underway in London on June 9.
“If players go over and play in the LIV Series, I think they are going to be banned from the respective tours at some point,” Beem told BoyleSports Latest Golf Betting. “And as far as playing or captaining in the Ryder Cup, I think they've made it fairly clear that if you go and join this tour, you're not going to be up for captaincy and you probably won't be a part of the Ryder Cup anymore.
“Hats off to them. I think taking that stance clearly draws a line in the sand and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think that with the threat of litigation and independent contractors, it'll get messy with lawsuits. But I agree that if you go do this, you should not be part of a Ryder Cup on either side anymore. I definitely agree with that.”
“The toughest part about it is going to be finding a golf course where he's able to walk and I still think he's - pardon the expression - not out of the woods yet with the injuries because they're pretty gruesome. Walking 72 holes takes a lot out of you anyway.
“If you look at this year alone - I think a lot of people would agree with this - St Andrews has to be a place he's looking forward to more than anything else because it’s a flat walk. If the weather's halfway decent, if it's not blowing and raining sideways and he's not fighting the elements, then it's a pretty standard walk.
“He will have some indifferent stances and lies that he has to cope with, but beyond that, it's a thinking man's golf course. It’s not just bombs away, so I think he’d have a great opportunity to win at St Andrews if his body's doing well.”
