ステンソン、ライダー杯の主将剥奪　リブゴルフ参戦

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】男子ゴルフのヘンリク・ステンソン（スウェーデン）が２０日、サウジアラビアが後援するリブゴルフ・インビテーショナルシリーズへの参戦を発表した。この数時間前にステンソンは、米国選抜と欧州選抜による対抗戦ライダーカップの欧州選抜主将の座を降ろされていた。（写真はヘンリク・ステンソン。資料写真）
　４６歳のステンソンは「熟考の末、何人かの仲間のプロに交じり、リブゴルフ・インビテーショナル・シリーズでプレーすることに決めた」と発表。来年イタリアで開催されるライダーカップの主将にとどまれなかったことには「深く失望している」と述べた。
　ステンソンのリブゴルフ参戦表明に先立ち、ライダーカップの欧州選抜は同選手の主将在任期間が「即刻」終了したと発表し、新主将は「追って」公表するとしていた。
　欧州選抜ではステンソンの他、すでにイングランド勢のリー・ウェストウッドとイアン・ポールター、スペインのセルヒオ・ガルシアがリブゴルフに移っている。
　ステンソンは２０１６年の全英オープン覇者で、現在の世界ランキングは１７１位まで落ちているが、過去最高２位まで到達した実績を持つ。リブゴルフには、２９～３１日に米ニュージャージー州ベッドミンスターのトランプ・ナショナル・ゴルフクラブで開催される第３戦から参戦する。
　既存のツアーに背いて高額賞金の新シリーズに流れるスター選手が急増する中、ステンソンの主将剥奪は男子ゴルフ界の溝をさらに深めることになるとみられる。
　リブゴルフをめぐっては、松山英樹の参戦もうわさされており、近日中にさらに３人の加入が発表されるものとみられている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/07/21-15:01）

Henrik Stenson said Wednesday he is signing up for the rebel Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, just hours after he was axed as Europe's Ryder Cup captain.
After much consideration, I have decided to join several of my fellow professionals and play in the LIV invitational series, the 46-year-old Swede said in a statement.
Stenson said he was hugely disappointed not to be able to maintain his role as captain for the next Ryder Cup to be played in Italy next year.
It is a shame to witness the significant uncertainty surrounding the Ryder Cup and who will be eligible to play etc. I hope a resolution between the tours and its members is reached soon, he added.
The move to strip Stenson of the captaincy will deepen the rifts in the sport, with a growing number of big stars defecting to the cash-rich new circuit in defiance of the established tours.
Ryder Cup Europe said in a statement that Stenson's tenure as skipper for the biennial competition against the United States in Rome had been brought to an end with immediate effect.
In light of decisions made by Henrik in relation to his personal circumstances, it has become clear that he will not be able to fulfil certain contractual obligations to Ryder Cup Europe, it said.
The statement added that confirmation of a new captain for the 2023 tournament would be made in due course.
Stenson has now joined fellow Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia in jumping ship to the LIV series.
The US team next year looks likely to be without players of the calibre of Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed and Bryson DeChambeau, who have all been hit with indefinite bans by the PGA Tour and will therefore be ineligible to play.
Stenson, the 2016 British Open champion, reached a career high of number two in the world but has since slumped to 171 in the rankings.
Clearly a part of my decision to play in LIV golf events has been commercially driven but the format, schedule and calibre of players were also significant factors, said Stenson.
Stenson's appointment as skipper of Team Europe in March had appeared to end speculation about his involvement in the Saudi-backed breakaway series as he insisted he was fully committed to the role.
But after missing the cut at last week's British Open, Stenson admitted his upcoming schedule was undecided.
European players must be members of the DP World Tour, formerly known as the European Tour, to be eligible to compete for Team Europe in the Ryder Cup.
The tour last month banned members who played in the inaugural LIV event in England for three tournaments and hit them with a heavy fine while the US PGA Tour banned those who made the jump.
- Trump plea -
Donald Trump on Monday urged golfers to take the money and sign with LIV Golf.
The former US president, who is hosting LIV events at two of his golf courses this year, said in a post on his Truth Social network that players should not hesitate to abandon the US PGA Tour, which he branded disloyal.
LIV Golf, which is fronted by Australian great Greg Norman, is bankrolled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Human Rights groups have criticised the venture, saying it is a sportswashing venture being used to boost Saudi Arabia's international reputation.
The third 54-hole LIV event of the season will tee off at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, New Jersey, on July 29.
The field for the tournament includes England's former world number three Paul Casey, who will tee off alongside 11 major champions, including Stenson -- who was officially confirmed on Wednesday along with Americans Jason Kokrak and Charles Howell to complete the field.
Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama has been linked with a move to LIV Golf, with three more signings to be named in the coming days.
Europe will be aiming to wrestle back the Ryder Cup from the United States when the two teams meet at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club from September 29 next year.
Potential replacement captains include Thomas Bjorn, who led Europe to victory in France in 2018, and England's Luke Donald.