The growing split at the top of golf will widen significantly on Wednesday with the expected confirmation that Henrik Stenson will not captain Europe in the Ryder Cup next year, having accepted a lucrative offer to join the Saudi Arabia-backed LIV tour.
Talks between Stenson and Ryder Cup Europe took place on Tuesday. While there has been no comment from Ryder Cup Europe, it is understood they are resigned to losing their captain.
The 46-year-old Stenson could even feature when LIV stages its third event next weekend in New Jersey. Stenson was announced in mid-March as Europe’s successor to Pádraig Harrington, at which point he signed a contractual commitment to the Ryder Cup.
That clearly was not compatible with the rebel LIV Series, which has found itself in conflict with the DP World Tour, formerly the European Tour.