Martin Kaymer skipping event due to tension from LIV defection

Martin Kaymer was initially listed among the field for next week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. However, he will not be in attendance and has no plans on competing.

Because tensions continue to rise between PGA players and those who jumped ship to LIV, Kaymer opted to sit this one out.

“Of course, there will be friction there, that’s why I’m not going,” Kaymer told Golf Digest on Thursday after finishing the pro-am at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston. “I don’t need to go to a place where, feel-wise, you’re not that welcome. They don’t say it, but [it’s there].”

Kaymer was one of 19 LIV players originally slated to attend the PGA event. He was also the first to withdraw.

Other LIV players who are still slated to attend include Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Richard Bland, Graeme McDowell, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Abraham Ancer, Talor Gooch and Kevin Na.

“I do love the European Tour and I do like Wentworth; I think it’s a flagship event that people like to participate in,” Kaymer added. “But under those circumstances, I try to stay in the area where the energy is high, where the energy is positive.

“I don’t know why I should fly to England, [and] be on the golf course for four or five days where you are not that welcome, I would say. It has nothing to do with the European Tour or the players or anything like that … but where we are right now [in professional golf], I try to stay away. I will wait until everything settles.”

Kaymer, who has 11 wins on the European Tour, remains hopeful a truce can eventually be reached.