Danny Lee signed with LIV Golf last month. Photo / Photosport
Danny Lee signed with LIV Golf last month. Photo / Photosport
Kiwi golfer Danny Lee is unlikely to return to the New Zealand Open anytime soon, says tournament director Michael Glading.
Lee, who is New Zealand golf’s No 2 men’s player behind Ryan Fox, hasn’t played his home Open since 2009 when he was an amateur and has been busy fighting to retain his PGA Tour card over the past few years after early success in his career.
The 32-year-old made headlines last month after signing with Saudi-funded rebel tour LIV Golf, and consequently giving up his PGA Tour card, potentially opening the door for a future appearance at the NZ Open with his schedule likely to clash less with the event.
However, Glading says he doesn’t believe Lee wants to return.
“I don’t think it’s realistic,” Glading said ahead of this week’s NZ Open at Millbrook. “If I’m brutally honest, I think if he wanted to come he would’ve come by now. There have been opportunities. The fact that he’s gone to LIV Golf, he’s got more weeks off, but I don’t see any inclination for him to come this way.”
Asked if the Open would have him at the tournament, Glading said: “Of course. But so far that’s drawn a blank.”
Glading says Lee’s absence has been disappointing and contrasted his “attitude” with his compatriot Fox, who will miss this year’s NZ Open to play at the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, as an example of a player who continues to support the event.
“I think it’s disappointing. He’s represented the country at the Olympics. I think Golf New Zealand has really stood by him and I find it disappointing that he hasn’t supported the national open.
“Contrast that with Ryan Fox, who was posting on social media today about how much he’s missing not being at the New Zealand Open.
“He was ringing me from Scotland after he won the Dunhill (Alfred Dunhill Links Championship) saying, ‘oh my God that means I may not be able to play New Zealand. But what can I do?’
“Different attitudes. Foxy I have no doubt will be back playing this tournament again and he’s doing the right thing for his career playing in America this week. It comes down, to some degree, to a want, and Foxy really wants to play in this tournament. Danny has shown that he doesn’t.”
Danny Lee during the 2009 New Zealand Open. Photo / Photosport
Golf New Zealand CEO Dean Murphy said Lee continues to be a “proud Kiwi”.
“What Ryan is doing this week and the whole purpose of events like this is to get players ... onto the world stage. And when the PGA Tour schedule clashes, inevitably, people make choices for their career and I think that’s the right thing for golfers to do.
“Danny’s been a very, very proud Kiwi representing New Zealand at two Olympic Games now and he’s really keen to do it again. Let’s see where we get to in the future and I think they’ve always been very welcome to come and play the national Open.”
Two other LIV Golf signings, Australian Wade Ormsby and American Turk Pettit, are playing in this week’s field at the NZ Open, with both qualifying through their status on the Asian Tour.
Both players featured heavily during LIV’s debut season last year, but have since been dropped by their teams.
Glading said the NZ Open had no issues with the rebel golfers’ entry into the event, but confirmed no LIV players were approached for an invite this year.
“Their status is through the Asian Tour. If they’re a bona fide Asian Tour player who qualified through their positioning on their order of merit, [they’re welcome].
“We’ve not extended invites per se to any LIV player. We’ve merely followed the guidelines, which are in the sanction agreement. And we welcome the best players we can get.”
