Stenson 'let DP World Tour down' over LIV | 'Ryder Cup will be affected'

Robert Lee reflects on Henrik Stenson choosing the LIV Golf Invitational Series over his role as Ryder Cup captain and discusses how the Swede’s legacy could be affected by joining the Saudi-backed circuit…

It's the worst-kept secret in history that Stenson was going to go to LIV and basically let the DP World Tour down, which is what he has done. Everyone knew this was coming at some point and we guessed that Henrik was going to go, it's just really disappointing.

He signed a contract to be with the Tour until the end of the Ryder Cup at least and he's reneged on what he said he would do, so left the DP World Tour with no option really.

It's a massive honour to be Ryder Cup captain and sadly for him, he's not going to be the Ryder Cup captain anymore. How many captains get the job and go 'nah, don't want it'? The fact that Henrik has done that is for only one reason, and that is cash.

Everyone was behind Stenson, he had given assurances, and we all thought he was going to give us two years of his time, do his captaincy and make a really good job, but now all of a sudden there has been that U-turn. We've seen that so many times with players, where they say 'I'm all PGA Tour' then five minutes later are off to LIV, so Stenson just becomes one of those. Now, the Tour has to move past that.

I think the Ryder Cup is bigger than any individual and it's going to be damaging for Stenson, as his legacy was excellent as a Champion Golfer of the Year, Ryder Cup player and former Race to Dubai champion. He also did the Scandinavian Mixed with Annika Sorenstam, which broke ground with males and females playing together and was brilliant.

There are so many good things to go along with the Henrik Stenson career, but this for me -