2021 Ryder Cup veteran Bernd Wiesberger has made a comeback to his home tour, the DP World Tour, after spending two seasons with LIV Golf. He was incidentally the first LIV golfer to ever be drafted back in 2022. The eight-time DP World Tour winner had filed a membership application for the DP World Tour, which was accepted after fulfilling his financial penalties and suspensions.
The golfer played on the DP World Tour from 2011 to 2021, where he added several accolades to his name and even got a chance to play in the 2021 Whistling Straits Ryder Cup. But since he joined LIV, he has struggled with his best finishes. In 2023, he had no top-ten finish. This led to him falling to the 41st position on the leaderboard, thus landing in the Open Zone. This meant that he had to wait for his contract to be renewed with his team, the Cleeks GC, which did not happen.
Bernd Wiesberger had three options before him: 1) get into a rival team of LIV; 2) get into the league’s roster through the LIV promotional event; 3) get back to his former tour. The third option seemed the safest for him. As a result, the golfer finally decided to focus on his home tour and make a comeback. The DP World Tour also issued an official statement announcing his return.
DP World Tour Reflects on Bernd Wiesberger’s Return
The tour officially announced that the golfer’s membership application had been accepted for the 2024 season. But there are a few hindrances he has to face because he left.
“Wiesberger’s membership ceased, and he was removed from the Race to Dubai, after he failed to comply with the Tour’s minimum counting event regulation for the 2023 season, having played in only two counting tournaments – the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic.”
But as compensation, he has promised the entire schedule of 2024 and has fulfilled all sanctions for infringement of the tour’s “conflicting event regulation across 2022 and 2023”. Furthermore, the tour also said, “Wiesberger will be exempt in Category 11 for the 2024 season.”
As Wiesberger returns to his home tour, he has talked about his new-year approach. “I am happy to announce my focus for next year will entirely be on the DP World Tour. I have never resigned my membership and therefore I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to play a full schedule once again”
UPDATE SEASON 2023/2024 pic.twitter.com/L90gieTMMY
— Bernd Wiesberger (@BWiesberger) November 23, 2023
Added to that, he also said, “Included in that will be the traditional national championships that are such a big part of the tour…I look forward to playing in those and, of course, getting started back in Dubai in January. Thank you for your support”
Incidentally, two out of four LIV golfers on the Cleeks GC,Graeme McDowell and Bernd Wiesberger, finished outside the Top 24. With Wiesberger returning to his previous tour, that leaves Graeme McDowell, who stands at 42 in the open zone, with an expired contract. Cleeks GC captain Martin Kaymer had Richard Bland’s contract renewed just last week, who stood in the 20th position in the lock zone.
LIV Golf is currently going through its first free trading in its off-season. Most of the teams have already retained their players. It is to see what becomes of the remaining players in the Open Zone, and which golfers in the Drop Zone actually qualify in the top 3 of the LIV Promotions event to make their way back into the Saudi-backed league.
