LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Defending champion Billy Horschel on Tuesday hit out at "hypocritical" LIV Golf rebels who are preparing to play in this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
DP World Tour members including Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood are eligible for the event near London after their suspensions for playing in the inaugural event of the Saudi-backed breakaway series were temporarily stayed on appeal.
American Talor Gooch and Mexico's Abraham Ancer are in the field by virtue of being in the world's top 60, but Horschel believes they are being "hypocritical" in chasing ranking points, having never shown any interest in the event before.
"Even though Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter have been stalwarts for the European Tour (now known as the DP World Tour), I don't think those guys really should be here," the American golfer said.
"I honestly don't think that the American guys who haven't supported the Tour should be here. Abraham Ancer, Talor Gooch… you've never played this tournament, you've never supported the DP World Tour. Why are you here?"
"You are here for one reason only and that's to try to get world ranking points because you don't have it (on LIV Golf)."
"It's hypocritical because of what some of these guys have said when they said they wanted to play less golf. It's pretty hypocritical to come over here and play outside LIV when your big thing was to spend more time with family and want to play less golf."
"I wouldn't call Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter hypocrites because they never said they wanted to play less. The guys that have publicly stated they want to play less, those are the hypocrites."
