- Fitzpatrick criticizes decision to invite some PGA Tour players to event
- He claimed it showed the partnership between the PGA and DP World Tour was a mistake
- Fitzpatrick says he 'doesn't care' about ongoing talks to end golf's civil war
British golfer Matt Fitzpatrick claims it is a “disgrace” for PGA Tour stars to be invited to the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
Fitzpatrick, who was speaking ahead of Scotland's defense of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, took aim at the 2020 partnership between the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour).
The 2022 U.S. Open champion said the agreement had a negative impact on European Tour players, despite its original intention to help “connect the men's professional golf ecosystem.”
Fitzpatrick cited last month's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth as evidence.
He lashed out at PGA Tour players' invitations to the flagship event, leading to the absence of several European Tour players.
Matt Fitzpatrick slams BMW PGA Championship's 'ridiculous' player invitation
Fitzpatrick was 'outraged' to find out PGA Tour players were invited to Wentworth last month
Billy Horschel beat Rory McIlroy in a play-off last month to win the DP World Tour's flagship event
“I don't think the Tour should be in the same league as the PGA Tour,” Fitzpatrick said in St. Andrews.
“To be honest, when I found out at Wentworth that there were a handful of PGA Tour players coming to the BMW PGA Championship, I was pretty pissed off.
“At that point, not everyone who had a card last year was getting into it and I think that's a shame. It's the flagship event.
“The Players Championship does not extend invitations to European Tour players. So why would we give them to Wentworth? I think it's absolutely ridiculous.
Fitzpatrick's comments come amid ongoing talks between the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and Liv Golf aimed at ending the sport's civil war.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, owner of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which funds LIV, will join Alfrey in the same group on Thursday Durdenhill Links Championship.
This was seen as a positive sign that a deal could be reached after 16 months of negotiations, with a framework agreed in June 2023.
Fitzpatrick declared that he now “no longer cares” about the situation and suggested that getting more involved would be a “waste of time.”
However, the 30-year-old said he would be in favor of a structure similar to the football pyramid.
Fitzpatrick says he's 'very concerned' about ongoing talks to end golf's civil war
“I think as far as putting the game together this week, I'm beyond caring. I just don't care,” Fitzpatrick said.
“What I said to the PGA Tour board of directors, what I said to the DP World Tour board of directors, it's not going to change, so why am I wasting my time talking about it?
“Anyway, my question from the beginning is have you been there? [to LIV]I don’t think it’s fair for you to try to come back and play too. But I would say I have changed now.
'Again, I don't care. I just want to focus on myself. I don’t want to look back ten years from now and I’m not going to sit there and think, “Oh, I wish I was more involved with LIV and the PGA Tour [situation]”Like, you're wasting your time.”
