DP World Tour and LIV Golf: Keith Pelley treading carefully around legal proceedings

Lee Westwood, who has won 25 times on the DP World Tour, is playing in the Middle East before LIV Golf events resume in late February

Trying to envisage professional golf's future is as tricky as reading a slippery downhill putt with the multiple breaks of a lightning fast Augusta National green.

DP World Tour bosses are treading with judicious care; they do not want to set a ball rolling in the wrong direction. Crucial legal proceedings against players from the rival breakaway LIV Golf series are looming large in the near future.

So sitting for an hour with the European tour's chief executive Keith Pelley, before this week's Hero Dubai Desert Classic, yields more questions than answers.

But we did learn that he and his PGA Tour counterpart Jay Monahan have recused themselves from thorny discussions that will determine whether LIV players will receive world ranking points.

We hear that tour staff were upset at comments made by LIV recruit Lee Westwood in Abu Dhabi last week where he questioned the current strength of the DP World circuit.

And it is also made clear that the arbitration hearing in London, which will be held from 6-10 February, is commanding a great deal of expense and attention from the tour's hierarchy.

"I think it's an important moment for our tour and to protect our tour and for our members at all different levels," Pelley told reporters gathered at the Emirates Golf Club.

The tour has engaged the services of three external legal firms to help it fight 13 LIV players who are appealing against punishments imposed for defying the refusal of waivers to allow them to play LIV events.

Initially Ian Poulter, Adrian Otagui and Justin Harding appealed against a £100,000 fine and suspension from the Scottish Open. The punishments were stayed and they have been able to play throughout the process.

The number of appellants then grew to 16, but Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel and Branden Grace have now withdrawn from the case, which will be heard behind closed doors by Sports Resolutions UK.

The panel, which comprises of senior legal figures made up of two KCs and former High Court judge Phillip Sycamore, will decide the outcome. But that will not be known until several weeks after the hearing.

"It's a lot of money and it is both time and resources, but it is what it is," said Pelley, who refused to be drawn on the implications for his tour if they lose the case.

"On a very high level we've had discussions but at the same time it hasn't been our primary focus," he said. "When you are defending claims versus 13 players and preparing witness statements and doing all of that, you're focused on that."

Pelley did admit that under legal advice he and senior colleague Keith Waters, along with PGA Tour commissioner Monahan, have taken themselves out of world ranking discussions over whether the Saudi Arabian-funded LIV Golf series should be recognised.

"I have not seen or looked at the LIV application and I have not given my opinions on the application," he said. "It is in the hands of the technical committee.

"Myself and Jay Monahan and Keith Waters recused ourselves of the separate committee. The four majors will determine the LIV application.

"We're not involved in it, not discussing it, no influence on what transpires with the OWGR as far as LIV goes."

Pelley added: "We did it because our respective legal counsels suggested it."

LIV boss Greg Norman had called for the established tours to be stripped of any influence on the decision.

In the build up to last week's Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship - brilliantly won by French Ryder Cup hopeful Victor Perez - Westwood commented on the apparent weakness of the fields for this high-profile Middle East fortnight.

"Two $9m events, back to back, an hour's drive apart, in near perfect conditions," said the veteran Englishman. "If you're not going to get strong fields, like half a dozen of the world's top 20, to these then you're never going to get them are you?"

Pelley said these comments had hurt his staff. "Last night we had a post function and it was staggering how many people came up to me and said that they were disappointed with the comments," he said.

"And it was unfair to the staff and I found that really, really interesting. I wasn't quite aware at how upset the staff were.

"I think the comments that were made were outside the factual. The comment about the top 20 in terms of where the tour is, you all know it has never been healthier and it's never been stronger."

The tour boss also raised an eyebrow that he is so far unaware of any LIV player expressing any negative feeling about the lucrative circuit that is worth $405m (£328m) over 14 tournaments this year.

"Some people have said to me over the last couple of months, it is amazing that any of the competitors on the new tour have never said anything about their tour," Pelley said.

"It's really quite impossible that they don't have opinions and that every single thing is right in year one. I find it very ironic."

The tour says it is not looking to hand out life bans to players it sees as rebels for defying the refusal of waivers to play LIV events. But it is opaque on what the nature of punishments will be if the hearing goes in the tour's favour.

LIV players insist they have the right to play wherever they like and that the European tour did not stand in their way when they wanted to play in the US. "What is the difference?" they argue.

In the meantime they are able to continue to compete on the DP World Tour and this week in Dubai the sponsors have welcomed them to play in the pro-am. Last week the likes of Westwood, Poulter and Henrik Stenson were overlooked.

Such inconsistency is the way of things right now. Will they be eligible for Ryder Cup selection? Who knows? But the tour insists whoever is among Luke Donald's six wildcard selections will be solely down to the captain.

At least by then there should be more clarity.

Indeed golf fans should hope it comes sooner rather than later, so we can concentrate on the action itself - like those devilishly difficult putts that will determine the Masters in April.