One way and another, the DP World Tour cannot rid itself of LIV Golf’s shadow, the latest example being the darkness that has hung over the first two weeks of its monthlong Iberian Swing.
Two weeks ago, Jon Rahm, a traditional tour loyalist, claimed the Accordia Open de España for the third time before making a point of congratulating his compatriot Eugenio López-Chacarra, who had earlier that day won LIV’s Bangkok Invitational. It not only was the 23-year-old’s first professional win but also a first top-20 finish in the paid ranks and worth a cool $4 million.
It was a generous and diplomatic gesture by Rahm, a rare olive branch among the barbed wire which wrapped itself around the sport in 2022.
On Sunday, another Spaniard, Adrian Otaegui, triumphed in the Estrella Damm Andalucía Masters at Valderrama Golf Club in Sotogrande, Spain, becoming the first golfer to win on a traditional tour after plying his trade with LIV, and there was a reversion to type for the warring sides in golf’s civil war.
The DP World Tour is a reluctant host of LIV performers. Only a legality, awaiting a full court decision in the new year, permits their participation in tournaments and, as a consequence, the circuit’s media team tiptoes a path around any LIV contender.
But when Otaegui claimed a six-shot lead with 18 holes to play, an already awkward situation turned into a golfing version of Kramer vs. Kramer.
Otaegui might not be a regular performer on LIV – he is among those who have been dropped when bigger names or locally associated players get the nod – but the incongruous situation did not go unacknowledged by one of LIV’s biggest names, Lee Westwood, who tweeted ahead of the final round: “Is @adrianotaegui leading? And by 6! Wouldn’t know would you.”
Australian Scott Hend, who is not a LIV golfer but has defended the right of players who are, added: “Be nice to see Adrian Otaegui W after the crap he has had to deal with after playing a couple of LIV events.”
Sunday’s final round was a procession. Otaegui maintained his advantage over the field and completed a six-shot victory with a final-round 68 for a 19-under-par total of 265.
Amid all the controversy, it should not be overlooked that he did not merely win but leave the field standing on a Valderrama test that was as tricky as ever. He not only finished the week those half-dozen blows clear of runner-up Joakim Lagergren of Sweden, but fully nine clear of third-place Min Woo Lee of Australia, 11 ahead of Spain’s Angel Hidalgo in fourth and 13 in front of Denmark’s Rasmus Højgaard in fifth.
Matt Cooper